Licensing battle over Proper Sound Macclesfield
By Alex Greensmith
5th Apr 2024 | Local News
A grassroots campaign to preserve a unique Macclesfield business has gained traction.
Chestergate bar and shop proper sound - which opened in 2021 - faces an uncertain future.
The town centre venue had split its business down multiple pillars, with the sales of clothing, gifts and records being one, while also serving as a café by day and bar by night.
But as the food and coffee side of the business has dropped off, owner Lucie Wright has opted to evolve the concept and submitted applications to Cheshire East Council.
The application reads: "We need to move more into the café/bar sector so a change of use is required."
However, two objections have been raised, in addition to messages of support, on the Cheshire East Council planning portal.
It relates to apartments that existed above the business, before they opened.
An objector, also based on Chestergate said: "proper sound selected the wrong location for what they want their business to now be."
"There were residential premises above the shop before proper sound opened as a shop/café and the permissions granted to them at that time took this into consideration."
"[...sic] If proper sound had at the very beginning applied for permission to be open until 11pm and run as a bar, would this permission had been approved then considering the residents above the premises?
"If this is approved, I would expect all the residents will have to move out due to the noise affecting their enjoyment of their homes which they lived in before proper sound opened.
"The residential premises will then be empty and hard to fill.
"There are other premises within the town centre that do not have homes above them that would be suitable for proper sound to set up the kind of business that they now want to run."
The venue does play recorded music, but they are currently not a live music venue.
One supporter of the proposals suggested the volume of the venue was suitable.
"This is a brilliant café/bar," they said.
"A place where locals love to get together around large tables and chat, no loud music, no rowdiness."
"Macclesfield needs small businesses like this."
One Macclesfield Cheshire East Councillor has submitted a public comment of opposition.
Central Macclesfield representative Cllr Liz Braithwaite, submitted this message against the proposals on the Cheshire East planning portal. "I object to this application for the following reasons:
"The adverse impact on the residential amenity of the current and any future residents of the 6 social housing apartments located on two floors directly above the premises.
"The premises is already operating as a cafe/bar and has been for some time.
"There are conditions related to planning applications 15/4077M and 97/2033P to protect residential amenity which restrict opening hours. These hours need to be reinforced by any COU.
"The plans submitted with the application are inaccurate and do not include the changes made to the courtyard area. Nor do they include the layout of the whole building or reference the other occupants of the building.
"The social housing operator for the apartments has not been consulted on this application."
In response, a petition has been launched by the business.
Writing on Change.org, Lucie has described it as "Macclesfield's own Night and Day situation."
The petition - which currently is just short of 350 signatures - indicates the reasons for the wanted changes to the business.
"Many of you are aware that our opening hours are very limited and we are constantly being asked by you, our growing regular customers, to stay open later and to put on more fun events," said Lucie on Change.org.
"To this end we have recently put in an application to planning and licensing to vary our hours, give the service our customers seek and evolve with the changing high street.
"This is not an unreasonable request as we are in the town centre surrounded by similar businesses.
"However we have received an objection from one local town centre councillor, Liz Braithwaite, who sadly seems keen to try to stop us trading completely and is supporting it with incorrect facts and hearsay without even approaching us for information.
"She is objecting to both the licence extension and the use of our popular courtyard with the Ian Curtis mural which she claims is a public nuisance! Her objections are based on the complaint of one resident and she has never set foot in proper sound since it opened.
"Our local councillors should be encouraging local independent businesses to regenerate the town, not seeking ways to shut us down. Do they really want another empty shop because that could be the outcome?
"Please help us prove to the planners and licensing panel that we have support and a need to extend our opening."
Cllr Liz Braithwaite was contacted by Macclesfield Nub News for further comment.
She responded with: "What I will say now is that it is categorically untrue that I am trying to stop proper sound from trading completely, as stated in their social media posts."
"The Licensing application will be decided in line with the Cheshire East Council Licensing Policy, as required by the Licensing Act 2003.
"The Planning application will be decided in line with Cheshire East Planning policy."
A licensing hearing is set for later this month.
Until then, members of the public have until April 9 to share their views, that will be considered by councillors.
A neutral observer wrote: "Our town needs to support the independent businesses of local people in our town centre."
"They help bring interest, creativity, employment and diversity in to what has been a dying town centre for many years."
Another general observer wrote: The restrictions on this venue seem unnecessary."
"[proper sound is] A unique place which draws a tourism crowd spending their money in Macclesfield.
"I suggest the venue gets the recognition it deserves rather than being sidelined by planning and a few individuals."
And indeed, the venue recently became the final pitstop on a Joy Division tour, with people from all over the world visiting proper sound and spending money there.
As of publication, ten messages of support have currently been submitted to the Cheshire East Council planning portal.
One highlighted their opinion of a need to preserve "Macclesfield's musical heritage."
The campaign has received backing from well-known Macclesfield musicians Tom Chapman and Phil Cunningham, of New Order and Sea Fever fame.
proper sound's Lucie Wright was also reached out to by Macclesfield Nub News for further comment.
"We are independent family run business who have invested heavily into the town," she wrote.
"When we picked the venue for our concept we did not anticipate any of these problems as it's slap bang in the town centre surrounded by businesses which open late. It's not as simple as moving our business elsewhere as one objection suggests. It would be financial suicide.
"Councillor Braithwaite seems to be supporting one resident at this time. I am also a town centre resident and a business owner, but have no support. She is insisting that it's the decision of the hearing panel but had she not objected then no hearing would have been required. Cheshire East are on the brink of bankruptcy yet this objection has resulted in two costly hearings.
"As a business we are mindful to support other local businesses and we work with around ten locals helping to keep Macclesfield alive and grow. As a business I feel unsupported. Is she only sitting to support one resident in the town centre?
"We have put in to open till 11pm but the plan is not to open daily to that time, as we are a family business and need work / life balance like everyone else.
"Our opening hours would not change greatly similar to our temporary event applications. We are simply seeking a variation to allow us to hold occasional private parties and ad hoc events without having to apply each time.
"We really want to continue bringing something different to Macclesfield and have the opportunity to work with some great people and support the towns music heritage."
Finally, Lucie has gone on record to confirm that she has spoke with the social housing, and will keep all comments to all parties polite and respectful.
Macclesfield: You can also read, support or oppose the plans on the Cheshire East Council planning portal.
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