From the https://www.kentlive.news By Sean Doherty, 27 August 2018.

New Margate town centre bar The Cove wants to open until 2am at weekends.

An application has been submitted for the Cecil Square building that was previously home to The Gallery.

The owner of a new Margate bar has applied for a late night licence.

An application has been submitted for The Cove, in Cecil Square, in the building that was previously home to The Gallery bar and restaurant until its closure in October 2017.

Should members of Thanet council's licensing sub committee decide to approve the application at a meeting on Tuesday, September 4, it will be allowed to open until 2am Thursday to Saturday, until 1am on Sundays and until 11.30pm Monday to Wednesday.

The venue is described by owner Harry Webb-Jeffries as “a restaurant bar with a family and local workforce vibe during the day and evening” with the bar at night time “being slightly more sociable for locals and tourists/day trippers/holiday makers”.

The licence would allow for both live and recorded music to be played at the bar, though a noise limiter will be in place to prevent noise pollution and it is promised customers will be moved away at the end of the night to stop them loitering after closing time.

In the application, the owners stated the bar will offer a range of wines, spirits, beers and seaside style cocktails and that “the food menu will be expansive with lots of dietary options as well as a classic dessert trolley.”

An officer from Environmental Health wrote to the licensing sub-committee members stating it would object to the application unless certain conditions were added, such as enclosing the smoking area and removing tables at the front of the restaurant at 1pm.

A resident wrote of the application: “Cecil Square is an increasingly residential area...I believe this should be considered when making a decision.

“Furthermore, the property has huge glass windows that do not seem to be soundproofed, so it would be difficult to play music that cannot be heard from neighbouring properties until the early hours.”

Another resident objected to the late night opening hours, writing: “In my opinion, this is too late for a glass fronted building in a residential area.”

From the https://www.kentlive.news By Adele Couchman, 5 September 2018.

Stylish new cocktail bar and restaurant The Cove set to open in Margate in October.

The new late night bar will take over The Gallery in Cecil Square, which closed last year.

A new cocktail bar in Margate town centre is set to open in October.

The Cove will take over the disused building once occupied by The Gallery in Cecil Square, which closed in October 2017.

It is hoped the "stylish" new venue will be more laid back compared to its predecessor, which attracted a number of complaints from residents.

Owner Harry Webb-Jefferies told Kent Live he hopes The Cove will be open by mid-October after its licence was approved by Thanet District Council this week.

“In seven or eight years time, Margate will be a thriving town and we want to be a part of it" explained manager Michael Sutherland.

“We are going to be fun, but what we are not looking for is to get a crowd of troublemakers.”

The bar, which will also be a restaurant in the daytime and early evening, is set to have brightly coloured decor inspired by "vintage Margate" - including Waltzer booths in the dining area.

It is also anticipated The Cove will hold special themed events, including over 30s nights and mixology competitions.

Owner Harry Webb-Jefferies said: “A dance floor area around a DJ booth is not what we are looking for. It will be a lounge bar kind of vibe, where people can enjoy cocktails and drinks and sit down.”

A late night licence for the bar was granted by Thanet District Council's licensing sub committee on Tuesday (September 4), where it will be permitted to stay open until 2am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

On Sundays the bar will be allowed to stay open until 1am, and until 11.30pm on Monday to Wednesdays.

Explaining the licensing conditions, environmental protection officer Christopher Brown said: “Condition 2 states the tables need to be remove by ten.

“When The Gallery was open, there was issues of tables being used to throw around, there was a video of someone turning the table around.

“The smoking area at the front of the premises should also be enclosed. The Gallery had issues of people walking around the area, smoking and chatting on their mobile phones.

“Condition 4 states there should be no entry to new patrons after 1am.

“The bar previously seemed to attract people who had been to other areas and finished there under the influence.

“Condition 5 also states after 10am, drinks cannot be taken outside.”