A showdown is looming over a plan for a new bar to open up in the heart of Caversham, with fears being raised about ‘alcohol-fueled goodbyes’ causing disturbance for neighbours.

Earlier this year, two businesswomen from Caversham applied for a licence to sell alcohol and have music at the former House of Cards unit at St Martins Precinct.

Their plan is to convert the store into ‘Spill Bar’, with the businesswomen submitting an application to Reading Borough Council to play recorded music from 11am to 11pm and sell alcohol on and off the premises from 12pm to 11pm each day.

But hopes for the bar could be dashed as the application has faced objections from people raising fears about possible noise disturbance caused by the venue.

Objecting to the application, a neighbour living in Hemdean Road wrote: “Coming and going even at 11pm will undoubtedly will go on much later with people saying their alcohol fuel goodbyes.

“Please please have them closed by at least 9 pm, and tell people outside to either keep the noise to a minimum or shut it completely, so that at least we who live here can sit in our gardens during the summer months and enjoy our gardens.”

The application also faced objections from council officers, who echoed concerns about noise disturbance, particularly for people living in flats at St Martins Precinct.

There are currently about six flats above the row of shops that Spill Bar would occupy.

Rebecca Moon, the council’s principal environmental health officer and Stephen Vigar, the planning team have both objected, arguing use of the unit as a bar requires planning permission to ensure that its impact on neighbours is properly considered.

There are also concerns that noise from Spill Bar will disturb possible future occupants of the site if redevelopment plans for St Martins Precinct go ahead.

The precinct is currently being marketed by KLM real estate for £16.45 million which points out that a redevelopment plan would involve adding 40 apartments to the site.

A CGI of the project to create new shopping units and 40 apartments at St Martins Precinct in Caversham, dated June 2014.A CGI of the project to create new shopping units and 40 apartments at St Martins Precinct in Caversham, dated June 2014. (Image: Barton Willmore)

It is understood that the bar would accommodate 120 people inside and up to 100 people outside.

Caversham and District Resident’s Association has commented that ‘a balance needs to be struck’ between the leisure use of the site and people living there.

Although the association has not officially objected to the project, it did note that the sheer number of people Spill Bar would be able to accommodate could cause ‘considerable disturbance for neighbours’ particularly in summer.

A decision on the application is due to be made at a meeting of the council’s licensing applications committee on Thursday, October 10.

The council’s licensing department has suggested conditions if the application is granted, which include a Challenge 25 age verification policy, staff training and the maintenance of CCTV.