Noise fears over new café and restaurant in York

Eddie Copley-Farnell, of The Curious Coffee Company (Image: Supplied)

A bid to open a new café and restaurant in York has sparked noise complaints.

Curious Coffee Company's application to licence the empty Boots store in Clifton for a new café is set to go before a York Council Licensing Hearing.

The application from Eddie Copley-Farnell stated the venue would serve brunch, light lunches and cakes during the day and pizzas and Italian-style food in the evening.

But two objectors who live nearby said they were concerned about potential disturbances into the evening due to plans for alcohol sale times and playing music.

It comes as the application is set for a council ruling on Monday, October 19.

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Mr Copley-Farnell lodged plans to licence the café in August following the approval of an application to convert the vacant store.

The Boots closed in February 2024 as part of the company's plans to cut the amount of its high street pharmacies.

The Curious Coffee Company, which also runs cafés in Haxby and Easingwold, would open its Clifton venue in the ground floor of the empty store.

Its plans would see the space converted to seat up to 40 people.

The application approved by the council earlier this year proposed opening hours of 7.30am to 5pm on Monday and Tuesday and until 10pm from Wednesday to Friday.

It would open from 8.30am to 11pm on Saturday and from 9am to 9pm on Sunday and bank holidays.

The licensing application set to be heard on Monday proposed operating hours of 7am to 10pm from Monday to Wednesday and until 11pm from Thursday to Saturday.

Eddie Copley-Farnell (left), of The Curious Coffee Company (Image: The Curious Coffee Company/Facebook)

Proposed operating hours for Sundays would be from 8am to 10pm.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) in August, Mr Copley-Farnell said he was hopeful that the new venue would prove popular.

He added he would be opening the café in an area of York where he grew up and hoped to launch it in November if his licensing application is approved.

The business owner said: “I used to live in the area until I was 18 so this is quite important to me.

“It’s a bit of a case of us sticking our finger in the air but I think it’ll be a food location and I’m hopeful it’ll work a treat and we’ll have people queuing for miles.

“I’m hoping to spend a bit of time in Clifton, at least in the beginning.

“It’ll be nice to bring that building back to life because it’s been empty for a while and be part of what’s going on at Clifton Green which is great.”

The application stated the venue would be family-friendly and alcoholic drinks would be sold with meals and responsible drinking would be encouraged.

But the two objectors to the plans stated that although they had no problem with the café and restaurant they were concerned about noise in the evening.

One said: “This is otherwise a quiet residential area in the evenings.

“I am concerned that the proposed hours would increase evening footfall and extend noise from customers gathering, arriving and leaving into a period when residents reasonably expect peace and quiet in their homes.”

Another said: “I am concerned about extended opening hours during the working week and on Sundays, which may provide little respite from potential disturbance.

“Alcohol sales and later opening, which may result in greater customer activity and disturbance during the evening than would ordinarily be associated with a coffee shop.”