The owners of a café in Garelochhead have been granted permission to sell alcohol to diners.
The Perch, on the village’s Main Road, changed hands in June, three months after it was advertised on the market by previous owner Fergus Madigan.
New manager Lauren Breach submitted a bid to the Argyll and Bute licensing board for alcohol to be served on the premises during opening hours, which are extended on Friday and Saturday evenings.
It was decided to add off-sales to the application as well, after a councillor queried whether sit-in customers would be allowed to take home left-over wine.
The bid was granted at the board’s virtual meeting today and Argyll and Bute Council’s legal services manager confirmed that it wasn’t the first time that ‘off sales’ permission had been sought, and granted, on the day of a hearing.
Ms Breach said: “We have been open since June, and are currently providing café meals and takeaway pizzas on Friday and Saturday.
“We are hopeful of opening for sit-in meals and for the licence to provide alcohol with these.”
Licensing standards officer Raymond Park told the board: “The applicant is hopeful of opening more often, from Wednesday to Sunday. She knows that the board policy for alcohol sales is an opening hour of 11am and is happy to abide by that policy.
“The premises is also hopeful of having live performances, and for outside drinking facilities, but does not have planning permission for that area yet. An application for planning permission for these is now in.
“But we cannot allow use of the area until planning permission has formally been granted. That apart, there are no major concerns.”
Cllr Rory Colville then asked: “What kind of alcohol will you serve? Wine is sometimes served in a restaurant and the applicants will ask to allow people to take home left-over wine, rather than finishing for the sake of it.”
Ms Breach replied: “I hadn’t thought about that. If we can add it into the application, then we will be more than happy to do that.”
Cllr David Kinniburgh said he had no objection to adding off-sales permission to the application, and Cllr Colville confirmed he was happy with it too.
The licence to sell alcohol for consumption both on and off the premises was granted.
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