The biggest nightclub in Arbroath could soon be back in action, but with shorter opening hours than its new owner was hoping for.
The 1,000-person-capacity Waterfront on Queens Drive went out of business around 18 months ago. It has been taken over by the Chalmers chain, which operates clubs in Alloa and Bathgate, and work to renovate the premises is under way.
Chalmers asked Angus licensing board for a provisional premises licence. It was seeking permission to open seven days a week and to remain open to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays one hour longer than board policy allows.
An agent for the company said the club was semi-derelict and “a bit of an eyesore at the waterfront”, and her client’s aim was to make it as successful as its existing clubs.
The premises had attracted noise complaints in the past but Chalmers said it would be soundproofed. There would also be CCTV cameras to provide security inside and out.
Facilities would include a state-of-the-art sound system, televised sports, bar meals and a ‘chill-out room’.
“There is an under-provision of premises of this nature and my client feels it would be satisfying a need which is presently unmet,” the agent said.
She admitted she was asking the board to step outside its own policies by granting a 3am finish two nights a week, but said a trend towards people only visiting nightclubs late in the evening was restricting the hours in which owners could make a profit.
Chief Inspector Gordon Milne, Angus area commander, told the board there was a scarcity of public transport in the town in the early hours and clubbers would be leaving on foot or in cars.
Mr Milne felt that allowing additional drinking hours could result in increased anti-social behaviour and could have an impact on operational policing.
Board convener Alex King said he had known the club since it opened and had often been wakened at 2am by revellers going home. The policy of barring premises opening beyond then was there for a reason.
“Once you grant extra hours to any individual establishment than all other comparable premises apply for the same hours. You get into a leapfrog situation.”
Mr King added that, while he welcomed the investment being made, he had doubts about the viability of the club as previous operators had had difficulties in attracting patrons outwith the weekends.
Councillor David Fairweather said he was pleased to see the club reopen as he knew that many young people from the Arbroath area were travelling to Dundee or even Aberdeen to visit nightclubs.
However, he did not wish to go outside board policy on opening hours and he suggested that Chalmers be restricted to the same 2am finish on Fridays and Saturdays as the town’s Devito’s club.
Board vice-convener Sheila Hands said: “I think we should also be mindful of the impact of alcohol. I would not like to see the terminal hour increasing.”
The board decided unanimously to restrict Friday and Saturday opening to 2am.
* An application by JD Wetherspoon for an outdoor seating area, with four tables seating a maximum of 16 people, at the Corn Exchange in Arbroath was rejected, despite the company saying that the vast majority of its 50 pubs in Scotland had one.
Mr King said: “I cannot think of a worse place to put an outdoor drinking area.”