Plans for a new wine bar and restaurant in vacant Perth High Street unit

Plans have been revealed for a new wine bar and restaurant to open in a vacant unit on Perth’s High Street, which has been empty since 2020. The Perth and Kinross Council’s Licensing Board unanimously approved a provisional licence for the premises, which previously housed the Dewberry Café but closed down four years ago due in part to the impact of the COVID pandemic.

During a meeting on Wednesday, November 6, councillors considered an application from LAL (Public House) Ltd, a Glasgow-based company, for a provisional licence for the unit located at 32-34 High Street. The application sought permission for on-sales facilities only, with the outdoor pavement café area proposed to be licensed until 10 pm. There were no objections to the licence application.

The applicant, LAL (Public House) Ltd, does not intend to operate the business themselves. Instead, they plan to lease out the property to a tenant who will be responsible for obtaining a food hygiene certificate and the necessary roads consent to operate a pavement café. The applicant’s agent, Chloe Crawford, representing Miller Samuel Hill Brown, informed the board that the unit used to be a wine bar and café before the licence was surrendered in 2020.

Crawford expressed her client’s eagerness to reinstate the space as a wine bar and now a restaurant, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on the previous business and the desire to see the premises bustling once again. The applicant holds several licences across Scotland, and this property represents their latest addition to their portfolio.

The Licensing Board unanimously approved the provisional premises licence application, subject to conditions and awaiting confirmation of roads consent for the pavement café before the licence is issued. The plan is for the client to retain the premises licence as a landlord and either lease out or sell the property.

In summary, the Licensing Board in Perth and Kinross has given the green light for a new wine bar and restaurant to open in a vacant unit on Perth’s High Street. The decision to approve the provisional licence marks a positive step towards revitalising the city centre and bringing new life to a once-empty space. With plans to lease out the property, the forthcoming wine bar and restaurant could soon become a thriving hub for locals and visitors alike.