Council reaches legal agreement with Turtle Bay over new Sheffield restaurant

The chain wants to be one of three new restaurants in the former National Union of Mineworkers building, opposite the City Hall, which is currently being refurbished at a cost of £5 million.

Turtle Bay was granted a premises licence by Sheffield Council in September. But health and safety fears led to councillors barring waiters from carrying food and drink up and down a staircase.

Members of the licensing committee were concerned about staff sharing the staircase with customers, and council officers said it posed a 'serious risk of potential conflict'.

The company said at the time the licence condition would 'seriously affect' the operation, and appealed the council's decision.

But after discussions between both parties, the legal issues have now been resolved, clearing the way for the restaurant to open.

A council spokesman said: “The council was able to reach an amicable agreement with the applicant’s solicitors through a consent order and the licence was issued.”

Turtle Bay refused to comment on the latest development. But it is understood the agreement will allow waiters to use the staircase as long as the restaurant is not too busy, using a common sense approach.

Work to convert the building in Holly Street, which housed the office of NUM president Arthur Scargill, is well underway. The building opened in 1988 when the NUM relocated from London, lasting four years before relocating to its current headquarters in Barnsley.

Pitcher and Piano has been confirmed as one of the building's occupants. Many of the firm's 18 UK bars are in listed buildings.

And accountancy firm Grant Thornton has announced its plan to move into some of the grade A office space on the second floor.

The conversion work is being carried out by Barnsley-based developer Quest Property.

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