New rules to stop London Road restaurant becoming club

A Sheffield restaurant will not be allowed to operate as a nightclub again after new licensing conditions were imposed.
The site of the former Yankee Lounge on London Road in Sheffield. It is to become a new restaurant.The site of the former Yankee Lounge on London Road in Sheffield. It is to become a new restaurant.
The site of the former Yankee Lounge on London Road in Sheffield. It is to become a new restaurant.

Sheffield Council’s licensing committee has placed new conditions on the former site of the Turkuaz Turkish restaurant, which was briefly turned into an American-themed bar called Yankee Lounge earlier this year without the official permission of the relevant authorities.

The decision follows trouble at a privately-booked party at the restaurant in March, when police were called to reports of a mass brawl involving up to 100 people with yobs said to be throwing bottles and a thug brandishing a knife.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The site is due to be turned into a new branch of Viva Tequila, an Italian-Mexican restaurant that already operates in Gleadless.

To prevent any further use of the site as a club or bar, new rules have been imposed on how it can be used in future.

One of them states at least 50 tables and chairs should be set out at all times in the restaurant area as a condition of the licence.

It says: “In order to promote the prevention of crime and disorder objective, there shall be available, at all times, seating for a minimum of 50 covers and a maximum of 80 covers.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A further condition for a CCTV system approved by South Yorkshire Police to be fitted, maintained and in use at all times when the premises are open has also been added, as well as a requirement for a written risk assessment to be prepared to address times and formats of operation when children are on site.

A spokesman for Sheffield Council said: “The licence has been reviewed and extra conditions have been added by our independent licensing committee.”

Following concerns about noise complaints relating to the venue being raised at the licensing hearing, it has also been agreed that music can only be played through an inhouse sound system fitted with a noise limiter.

The new Viva Tequila restaurant is due to be opened next month under the revised licence.