Concerns over plan to bring former hookah bar in Leicester city center back into use

A plan to bring a former city center hookah bar back into operation has been unveiled. The now empty Church Gate building, which was once home to the Doen Lounge, could be reopened, a license application shows.

The building has fallen into disrepair since the bar closed, with pigeon and rat infestations and flooding in parts of it, council documents show. The electricity to the building was also cut off due to the former owner not paying his bills.

However, it could be given a new lease of life after new owner Himanshu Patel proposed to reopen it. The new venue is to be called Gate 65. He has applied to Leicester City Council for a new license for the building. The authority said the new planned use is very similar to the last – a Shisha bar and restaurant.

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Both the council and Leicestershire Police have raised some concerns about the proposal – particularly the late night opening hours. Mr Patel requested permission to keep the doors of the premises open from 4pm to midnight every day from Monday to Wednesday and until 4am from Thursday to Sunday.

Jefferson Pritchard, licensing officer for the police force, said: “Unfortunately, late night refreshment venues and licensed premises that serve alcohol often act as magnets for members of the public under the influence of alcohol and other illegal substances. This sometimes leads to anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder.”

He added that the request is “vague” but “hints at some mitigation” for potential problems. The force suggested opening hours be reduced to 4pm to 2.30am on Thursdays and Sundays and 4pm to 3.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.

He also proposed conditions around CCTV, ensuring music is turned off at least 30 minutes before closing on nights, the bar closes after midnight and the use of bouncers on Friday and Saturday nights. Pc Pritchard said the applicant had “indicated that he would be willing to agree to the terms proposed”.

He added: “Leicestershire Police has some concerns about the application but believes that the inclusion of additional conditions will reduce the likelihood of crime and disorder in the future and help promote and support the licensing objectives.”

Both the city council’s noise and licensing teams also stepped in with similar concerns. Noise officer James Brown said the night-time industry had “diminished significantly” in Church Gate over the past decade and was now mainly shops, residential properties and a few restaurants.

This reduced the noise level in the area, he added. As the place is a hookah bar, there is an open roof section in the building. This will “provide a pathway for noise to travel through and affect adjacent properties”, added Mr Brown.

The inclusion of “amplified music” in the request was also raised as a concern, as was the request to serve alcohol. “Impulsive noise incidents such as shouting or breaking glasses will be particularly intrusive to nearby properties,” Mr Brown said.

Leicester City Council’s licensing committee is due to debate the application next week. They will have to decide whether to approve the licence, approve it subject to conditions or reject it.

If approved, the documents suggest it could be several more months before the location opens due to necessary repairs.