Locals lose fight to stop casual drinkers

Jun 11 2008 by Babette Decker, The Journal

NEIGHBOURS have failed in their battle to prevent a new £1m Italian restaurant in Northumberland from also operating as a pub for scores of casual drinkers.

People living near the 200-seat Ristorante Fratelli in Ponteland claim their quality of life has been spoiled by incidents of drunkenness, disorder and anti-social behaviour since it opened in December.

Local people – many of them elderly – say the problems have been caused by allowing the restaurant to double as a bar and serve alcohol to customers who are not there to have a meal.

Almost 80 people backed a campaign calling for a restriction to be placed on Fratelli’s alcohol licence so that drinks can only be served to diners.

Yesterday their request was rejected by Castle Morpeth Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee, which confirmed the decision it took last September to grant a full premises licence to Fratelli’s owners Paul Bernardelli and Fabrizio Saba.

At the end of a two-day hearing which heard evidence from both the applicants and objectors, sub-committee chairman Coun Andrew Tebbutt said it was clear that the locals’ major concern was over the restaurant also being allowed to trade as a bar.

But he added: “We have not heard sufficient evidence to justify the imposition of the condition which the local representatives request.”

The decision means that Fratelli’s will be allowed to continue operating as it has done since it opened six months ago. Last night retired university lecturer Dr Colin Campbell, who lives next to the restaurant with his wife Anne in Cecil Court, Ponteland, and who has led the residents’ protests, said the decision was “incomprehensible” and would be appealed.

“Since Fratelli’s started trading six months ago residents have had to put up with vomit on the pavements, urinating in public, noise and anti-social behaviour.

“Police have had to deal with brawls at the premises on two occasions. How much nuisance and disorder do we have to endure before Fratelli’s is stopped from selling alcohol to casual drinkers?” Mr Bernardelli admitted there had been one incident at Fratelli’s involving the police, but said local people were over-exaggerating the impact of the restaurant and bar on the area.

“I am pleased with today’s outcome and it was a very fair hearing. It was a satisfactory result from our point of view. We now look forward to working alongside the residents to solve any outstanding issues they may have.”

Yesterday’s decision came at the end of a two-day hearing in Ponteland Memorial Hall, compared to the 90 minutes it took the council sub-committee to deal with the matter in September.