Refusal of bar's application urged

An application by Queenstown bar Monty's to extend its outdoor hours has hit a snag, with a senior planner recommending it be refused.

The Church St business applied for three variations to its consent: to allow its outdoor area to be used for an extra hour until 11pm, to use a small outdoor area for smokers until 2.30am; and to amend the way noise is controlled within the bar.

But in a report to the commission, which meets on Tuesday, Lakes Environmental senior planner Tim Williams recommended the application to increase the outdoor area until 11pm be denied.

Allowing Monty's the one-hour extension would create difficulties for existing visitor accommodation to continue to operate successfully, the report says.

Mr Williams said the decision was largely based on independent noise monitoring undertaken jointly by the Queenstown Lakes Distrcit Council and Monty's. Previous noise complaints against Monty's had also played a part in the recommendation, he said.

The application to allow smokers would keep them off the footpath, and he had recommended it be accepted by the commission, he said.

Seven submissions were received on the application, with six opposed and one in support.

The Spire Hotel, which is near Monty's, and its landowner Church Lane No5 were strongly opposed to the extended hours but both declined to comment when contacted yesterday.

Marine Pde private hotel Eichardt's general manager Victoria Shaw said the hotel had submitted against the application because it had experienced problems with noise from Monty's before.

A lot of money had been invested into the accommodation business and it was disappointing noise restrictions were not always enforced by the council, she said.

Brazz and Speight's Alehouse landowner Warren Cooper, who also submitted against the proposal, said increasing the hours would lead to a "ricochet affect".

"The more things you allow to be made, the more the others demand to have the same rights," he said.

"In other words, it spreads like a disease."

Monty's owner Barry Ellis was not aware of Mr Williams' recommendations and said they would be discussed at the hearing.

The application was a simple business move to allow people to dine outside after 10pm, and the Dux next door had existing use rights to allow people outdoors until 2.30am, he said.

Monty's was issued an abatement notice in 2006 after noise complaints but Mr Ellis said there had been no problems for some time.

"That's ancient history; we haven't had noise complaints for a considerable amount of time so whoever's talking about noise complaints, show us," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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