Smithills: Clash between The Northern Ivy Cafe and care home

The Northern Ivy Cafe opened on the corner of Church Road and Ivy Road last year.

Owners John Oakley and Kelly Oakley, the couple from Darcy Lever behind the business, want to build on its success with an application for an alcohol licence and for permission to play music into the night.

The business closes at 4pm on weekdays and an hour earlier on weekends at the moment but the couple want to extend this to 10pm every day of the week with the aim of it becoming a bistro as well as a cafe.

The application is up for consideration when the Bolton Council licensing committee meets at the town hall this week but there is opposition from the care home two doors down from The Northern Ivy Cafe.

The manager of Spennymoor Care Home Ltd, Teresa Jackson, wrote to the council out of concern for its 20 or so elderly residents, some of whom receive dementia care or end-of-life care.

READ MORE: Smithills Hall: Bake & Roast receives alcohol licence.

Ms Jackson said: "Enabling the premises to sell alcohol and to play music (including live music) would provide a source of alcohol with the potential to lead to an increase in crime and disorder and public nuisance.

"This is predominantly a residential area and we operate a care home for elderly residents next door but one from these premises. Given the proximity and nature of our operation, we are concerned this application if granted could lead to a loss of amenity and adversely impact our elderly residents."

The Oakleys intend to introduce measures to cut down on crime and disorder and public nuisance, such as CCTV and investigation into all complaints by residents.

But Ms Jackson asked the council to refuse the application.

She said: "We would urge the licensing authority to refuse this application."

The Bolton Council licensing committee meets at the town hall on Friday.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.