A champagne bar plan put forward by Huddersfield restaurateur Eric Paxman is a step closer.
Kirklees Council has given Eric’s restaurant in Lindley the green light to open a new bar across the road.
But while planning approval to convert the former Adam Shaw bridalwear shop into a bar has been given, a licence to serve alcohol is still pending after a local resident lodged a formal objection to the plan.
Eric told the Examiner it would be some time before anything happened.
“It’s brilliant I’ve got approval,” he said. “But I’m still in talks about the licence.
“I hope it will be a positive result, as it would be nice for customers of the restaurant to have somewhere pre and post meal to have a drink.
“If it’s not I will turn it into something else.”
If the bar gets the go-ahead it will be Eric’s third venture on Lidget Street, alongside his original restaurant opened in 2010 and his PAX Burger outlet opened 18 months ago.
One full-time and five part-time jobs could be created.
The bar is expected to be a high-end venue, primarily for people waiting to be seated at Eric’s.
Planners have insisted that a lobby is created inside the premises to prevent noise problems from people coming and going from the bar.
The original application asked to stay open until 1am but planning conditions have stated it must shut by 11pm.
A letter of complaint, lodged by a nearby resident, claims young children will be disturbed by noise from the bar.
The matter is set to be decided by Kirklees Council’s Licensing Panel later this year.
Eric has also unveiled plans to open a second PAX Burger restaurant in the former Yorkshire Building Society office in Huddersfield Road, Mirfield.
