The Liquor Licensing Board decided it is not supportive of an objection against the licenses for Grand Old House following a hearing at the board’s annual session.
The meeting took place at Custom’s Headquarters on Thursday.
In making the objection, as a neighbour, Mr. John Epp said the objection was to outside activities: outdoor parties taking place in a canopy area and a party tent that is erected in the parking lot from time to time.
He asked if the premises had a license to dispense liquor in the canopy area and to have music and dancing there. He questioned whether it is permitted for the tent to be erected for parties.
Mr. Epp said that annoying acts or excessive acts at night are in violation of the law in the Cayman Islands.
He had written a letter of complaint to the board in December 2004. He spoke of dates in December last year when the music went on to midnight, 1.30am and 12.55am, with noise afterwards in the parking lot.
Chairman of the Board Mitchell Welds questioned whether Mr. Epp was against special parties being held in the tent, even if the music is at a moderate level. Mr. Epp said he was against special occasion permits unless the parties were to end at 10pm.
Representing Grand Old House and Mr. Naul Bodden, Mr. Michael Alberga said Mr. Epp’s objection had actually expired because it had been lodged last year and the board had granted a licence to Grand Old House.
With regard to the tent and noise he said the question of nuisance relates to noise and the place for that to be dealt with is the court of law. But, he said, erecting a tent three times a year does not amount to a nuisance.
The majority of business at Grand Old House is to provide meals or sometimes weddings, he said.
‘It doesn’t create a nuisance to have something three times a year,’ he said.
He did say that special licenses come up from time to time, but he was not aware there were any before the board relating to Grand Old House. ‘You can’t object to something that does not exist,’ he said.
‘No tent is permanently up there. It only goes up when there is a special occasion. The tent has not been placed there for a long, long time.’
Mr. Alberga explained that in 2004 Grand Old House had applied for an additional bar. This went to the Planning Board and permission was granted, but it has not been constructed.
‘He was objecting to the additional bar, but it is not there at all. It has not been erected at the present time and probably won’t be the way things are going there.’
Mr. Alberga admitted that business is slow at the restaurant.
He asked the board to dismiss Mr. Epp’s objection and grant a licence to Grand Old House.
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