A RESTAURANT due to open in Stroud has been granted permission to sell alcohol.

The new restaurant at the Cornerhouse in London Road is to be called Juliet and it will have a bar area and piano area inside.

Stroud District Council’s licensing committee granted a premises licence this week for consumption of alcohol on and off the site.

David Maciolek, who lives nearby, had raised concerns over the gathering of people outside the premises which used to happen at the site previously.

He told the committee on August 19 that people should not be allowed to smoke outside the premises as it would contribute to antisocial behaviour.

Mr Maciolek said he thinks Juliet will be a success but is worried about people potentially gathering outside the restaurant which could “attract yobs”.

“If you’ve got ten or 20 people outside the doors, when anyone walks along the pathway they’ve either got to say excuse me or I’ve seen them step into the road, which shouldn’t be.

“Men and women are intimidated by a group of people they don’t know what they are like.

“They could be very friendly when you say excuse me, could I get through or they could start playing around with you which could become intimidating. Not everyone shares a joke.”

Daniel Chadwick, owner of the building and the Woolpack Inn in Slad, assured Mr Maciolek that the restaurant would be a very different operation than it previously was.

He said he bought the building in 2011 and at the time “it was a very sorry entrance to Stroud”.

“I lovingly restored it,” he said. “I love the building and I love Stroud. And Stroud is in a very sad state.

“The last thing we want is a load of people crowding around on the street. We want to produce a restaurant that is not a bar.

“I’ve got a pub, I don’t need another pub.

“The people we attract to Juliet will be gentle, nice people. We are not looking for crowds.”

Ophelie Theberge, who will be Juliet’s general manager, said they really want to promote the fact that it will be a restaurant.

“Tables outside are meant for people to eat at,” she said. “The rule will be if you go out to smoke, you cannot have your drink with you.

“People eating inside wanting to have a smoke in between different dishes, they can do so but can’t go outside with their drink. That’s not what we want to promote.”

She said the restaurant would be closed on Sundays. The applicants took on board the concerns.

Their initial proposal was for permission to sell alcohol everyday from 9am to 11pm in the week

. They volunteered opening times suggested by Mr Maciolek which included opening until 10pm in the week and 11pm Fridays and Saturdays.

Another condition included restricting alcohol consumption without food to the bar and piano area. The committee granted the licence.