Preston city centre bar Baker Street plans beer garden for drinkers until 3:30am

A city centre bar wants to open a beer garden for use by drinkers until as late as 3.30 in the morning.

By Brian Ellis

Published 11th Jul 2022, 12:30 GMT

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Baker Street, in Preston, has applied to the council for permission to have up to 88 people sitting outside into the early hours - directly opposite hotel room windows.

The bar has plans to put booths and bench tables on a narrow disused strip of land between Avenham Street and Old Cock Yard which once served as a private car park.

And, even though Baker Street has a licence to trade until 3:30am, the bar's owners say they do not operate that late apart from Friday and Saturday nights.

Baker Street with the unused land it plans to use as a late night beer garden.

Baker Street with the unused land it plans to use as a late night beer garden.

What are residents concerns over the application?

There are concerns late night noise could affect residents staying in hotel rooms across the road above Angelo's restaurant.

Baker Street has submitted a "worst case scenario" noise assessment which calculates the beer garden would only have a "significant adverse impact" on neighbours if used after 11pm on a Sunday - an hour after the bar currently shuts.

It claims the estimated level of noise from the beer garden on Friday and Saturday nights would be below what it already is in the area.

The bar hopes to seat up to 88 people in its beer garden in Avenham Street.

The bar hopes to seat up to 88 people in its beer garden in Avenham Street.

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What do Baker Street’s owners say?

In a letter to the council, director Michelle Ragozzino said: "The garden would be in operation as per my licence to trade, which currently stands from Monday to Sunday 11 to 03:30.

"However we won't be looking to open the bar for this duration as we wouldn't be operating at these times.”

What are Baker Street’s current closing times?

Despite the venue's licence to operate from 11am to 3.30pm, opening times are significantly shorter on five out of seven days.

Monday to Thursday the bar opens between 6pm and 11pm.

On Friday it closes at around 2:30am. On Saturday last orders is 3am. And on Sunday the bar is only open until 10pm.

How long has Baker Street been open?

There has been a pub on the site for more than 200 years. It was originally called the Garth's Arms, after the local Garth family.

It was renamed the Duke of Windsor after his abdication in 1936 and has since had an assortment of names including Maguire's Tavern, Gaston's, New City Bar, Villa R&B Bar, before becoming Baker Street in 2019.