Last call will come earlier for a proposed downtown Victoria brewpub, but it will keep its proposed 178 occupancy load.
Victoria councillors have decided to endorse an application from Mike and Lee Spence, owners of the Drake Eatery, for a new brewpub at 506 Herald St. to be attached to the brewery.
The Spences had hoped for a licence to operate between 9 a.m. and 2 a.m., but council instead endorsed operating hours of 9 a.m. until midnight Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
While the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch is the licensing authority, it seeks endorsement of applications from local councils before making its decision.
Coun. Ben Isitt proposed the reduced hours of operation, which had been discussed in committee, but rejected on a tie vote, saying the reduced hours “erred on the side of caution” and offered balance between what the applicant wanted and concerns of residents.
“I think it’s reasonable. I think it’s much harder to remove an entitlement after council and the province have given it than it is to set some rules for a new establishment and if everything seems to be going well, then considering an application in the future to relax those rules,” Isitt said.
A subsequent amendment proposed by Isitt to reduce the proposed occupancy to 150 failed. Staff noted that occupancy loads include everyone in the building, including staff. So the proposed 178 capacity means seating for 141 customers. The remaining 37 would be comprised of staff and retail customers entering to buy beer and then leaving.
Isitt noted that the applicant had originally suggested an occupancy of 100 to the Downtown Residents Association when they believed a rezoning would have been needed, and an occupancy load of 150 “is still a lot of people consuming alcohol.”
Isitt added there were extremely limited food services proposed.
“That is the type of scenario that leads to more overconsumption and intoxication and resulting social impacts on individuals and the community,” Isitt said.
Mayor Lisa Helps said that while the reduced hours represented only a small “tinkering” with the business model for the new pub and was reasonable, reducing the occupancy would represent a major change.
“We’re assuming that this is going to be a raving success; that it’s going to be full all the time right until midnight or 1 a.m. I don’t know if that’s the case,” Helps said.
“I think this applicant has a proven track record for a facility close by that hasn’t caused any problems to any of our knowledge and I think if they’re proposing 178 people to be in their building, including 37 people working, I think that’s reasonable.”
Two weeks ago, Victoria city councillors agreed at committee to endorse the proposal to add a 178-seat lounge to the new Herald Street Brew Works and the later operating hours.
However, when the item came up at a later council meeting, they voted to refer the matter back to staff, citing concerns raised in correspondence by local residents, the nearby Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association seniors facility and from the DRA.
