Concerns grow over Subway plans

Nov 20 2008 By Polly Manser

A manager at Revolution Vodka Bar has said he is "concerned for the residents" over the opening of a Subway in the centre of Beaconsfield New Town.

Ian Collins, area manager for Inventive Leisure, said that if Subway is granted a late licence to serve food until 3am residents may suffer as a result. Subway, which opened for business on Saturday in Maxwell Road, is currently trading until 10pm.

Revolution, also in Maxwell Road has been successful at curbing anti-social behaviour by customers in recent months.

Residents had complained of public urination, criminal damage and littering after it opened in 2006, and police reported a near doubling of violent crime in Beaconsfield, much of it in streets close by.

But since April staff have worked to reduce the impact on residents by stopping the sale of alcohol at 2am, an hour before the club closes at 3pm, serving free food and soft drinks, having staff patrol the streets to maintain order and clear up vomit and urine, and getting customers into taxis on site.

If Subway is now allowed to open at 3am Mr Collins feels some of that good work would be eroded.

He said: "We've had a conversation with them. We are concerned about it for the residents, although from a business point of view we are not concerned."

Mr Collins reassured residents that Revolution is not seeking to keep the bar open until 3am, as some fear, having received a consultation letter from South Bucks District Council.

He said: "We are not changing the hours that we are open, we are only formalising the hours that we already operate. We are actually reducing the hours that we are (allowed to be) selling alcohol."

The new licence will state the bar must close at midnight on Monday and Tuesday and 2am on Wednesday to Saturday. Food and soft drink will be available and the club will close at 3am as it does now. Residents have until November 27 to comment on Subway's application for a late night licence.

Email licensing@southbucks.gov.uk

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