Aberdeen bar and club Cheerz has been told it cannot stay open for an extra hour after four big P&J Live concerts later this year – partly due to the “types of act” playing.
Bosses at the city centre venue applied to the council seeking extended hours to allow its after-parties to continue into the early hours.
They did this so the bar and club could remain open until 4am after the Sean Paul gig on April 12, Olly Murs on May 4, and the Clubland show on May 10.
Meanwhile, the club asked to welcome punters until 3am after the Busted Vs McFly concert on Wednesday, October 1.
The after-party events within the bar will be ticketed, allowing fans to carry on partying after each gig after heading into town from the Bucksburn arena.
A previous application for a Girls Aloud after-party was granted…
Why can’t P&J Live Cheerz after-parties carry on ’til the early morn’?
But not everyone was a fan of the idea of Cheerz staying open longer to mark these shows.
The local authority’s licensing standards officers had objected to all four requests.
They argued the extra hour could lead to noisy drunken revellers becoming a nuisance for residents living in the surrounding area.
It’s understood that councillors were also told that these acts were not “particularly associated with the LGBTQ community”, unlike others celebrated in the past.
Members of the licensing board discussed the applications earlier today.
Councillors had to decide whether the events were of a “local or national significance” or whether it related to a special event that the applicants intended to put on.
The matter resulted in a vote.
As board members were divided, board convener councillor Neil Copeland used his casting ballot to refuse them all.
‘The board must be consistent’
Councillor Ross Grant suggested the extensions be given the go-ahead to allow fans to continue their night out.
But he was dismayed with the decision taken by the board.
“The decision to refuse was particularly disappointing as a near identical application for an after party following a Girls Aloud concert was approved in 2023,” he told us.
“The board must be consistent in their approach.
“I thought it was important to stress that the type of music concert, whether Girls Aloud or another like Busted, was immaterial to the board determining its position on whether to grant or refuse.”
Hopes to boost city centre with Cheerz after-parties following P&J Live gigs
Councillor Marie Boulton was one of the members that wanted to see the extra hours awarded as she didn’t believe there was a clear reason to deny them.
“Cheerz had worked with the police to ensure that the after-party events would be strictly controlled to secure public safety and prevent public nuisance,” she explained.
“We approved a similar request before and to my knowledge there were no problems.”
Councillor Boulton added: “I felt it was important that wider city centre hospitality venues could benefit from the investment made in the P&J Live.”
Did Cheerz ask for anything else?
Fellow board member councillor Martin Greig also wanted to see the “reputable and trusted” bar’s requests granted, claiming they were “reasonable”.
“These would have been ticketed and stewarded activities so the impact on the area would have been minimal,” he said.
“It is important to ensure these kinds of activities are organised well to protect public safety and to try and keep the pressure off of police teams.
“It is a city centre location but there are residents nearby… The aim is always to permit good relations between businesses and the wider community.”
Meanwhile, Cheerz bosses also asked to extend the bar and club’s opening hours throughout December, closing at 3am instead of the standard 2am.
But, the board unanimously refused this request as the council already gives venues extra trading hours over the festive period.
Read more:
Conversation