Nightcliff’s Dom’s Bar expansion plans up in the air following noise complaints to Liquor Commission
NORTHERN suburbs nightspot Dom’s Bar faces an uphill battle with plans to double its size after a series of noise complaints to the Liquor Commission
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NORTHERN suburbs nightspot Dom’s Bar faces an uphill battle in owner Dom Wundke’s plan to double its size as he grapples with a series of noise complaints to the Liquor Commission.
The commission is this week hearing an application to expand the business into the vacant shopfront next door while also probing complaints from nearby residents.
On Thursday, Nightcliff man Paul Walsh played the hearing footage he had recorded from his balcony late at night or in the early hours of the morning between August and November last year.
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In it, Dom’s patrons could clearly be heard milling around outside the bar and Mr Walsh said he also inadvertently captured shots of customers drinking on the footpath, in contravention of the bar’s licence.
Under cross examination by Mr Wundke, Mr Walsh said he was opposed to the bar’s expansion as while the application no longer included plans to allow drinkers out onto the footpath he still held concerns about late night noise.
“The footpath (permit) was revoked on the 12th of August and on the 22nd of August we saw a dance party happening on the footpath without council permission, without being licenced,” he said.
“The footpath is regularly taken over by noisy patrons, allegedly smokers but the photos and videos show that a very small percentage of the people hanging around on the footpath are in fact smokers — it’s just used as an extension of the bar that continues to cause noise and disturbance.”
But Mr Walsh said it wasn’t his aim to see the bar close its doors.
“Our principal desire is to restore first of all and then maintain the amenity of our formerly quiet residential neighbourhood,” he said.
“When your premises does trade under and adheres to the current liquor licence conditions … we haven’t had any problems because you are capable of operating the bar in a non-disturbing way when it’s contained to them.”
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Speaking about his plans earlier this month, Mr Wundke said he had received a lot of support from locals “which gives us confidence we need to proceed”.
He said the expansion would allow space for more people to be seated inside the venue and let them cater for more events and private functions.
“It will allow us to do wine and gin tastings and expand our events like our Valentine’s Day love potion cocktails experience for couples,” he said.
The commission will hand down its ruling at a date to be fixed.
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