Mojo cocktail bar in Harrogate granted permission to serve alcohol until 6am

The council’s licensing sub-committee met this morning at the Civic Centre to consider the application from Voodoo Doll Limited, which also runs five other Mojo bars in cities including Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle.

Mojo in Harrogate can currently serves alcohol seven-days-a-week between 11am until 4am the following morning but wanted to extend this by two hours.

The change would also mean revellers could stay at the bar until 6.30am while they listen to music and finish their drinks.

North Yorkshire Police had no objections and Mojo agreed prior to the meeting that door staff will be provided until 30 minutes after closing-time.

Martin Greenhow, managing director of Mojo, attended the meeting alongside solicitor Chris Rees-Gay.

Mr Rees-Gay said none of the Mojo bars had never had enforcement action taken against them or had a premises licence reviewed.

The application received four objections but Mr Rees-Gay said there was no evidence to suppport a claim there will be a potential clash of customers in the early hours of the morning.

He also said that empty bottles and glasses left in the area were not linked to Mojo.

The Viper Rooms nightclub, also on Parliament Street, closed in December.

The committee heard from an objector David Birtles, who lives at an apartment block on Parliament Street.

Mr Birtles said extending the licence would to an increase in anti-social behaviour.

He said: “If you have two men with their penis’s out urinating in your doorway in the early hours of the morning after been woken up by streetfights outside my home — that was here before any of the bars were — then you’d be sat with the same concerns that I’ve got.”

Councillors asked if Mojo would consider utilising door staff from 9pm rather than 11pm but Mr Greenhow said the bar was quieter at this time so it would not be necessary.

He said: “One reason we are here asking for these extra hours is the business has found challenges since we’ve returned.

"We’ve accrued an awful lot of debt in just getting through the lockdowns.

"Having that needless extra cost is a burden so I’d be very reluctant to take it on board.”

The committee ultimately decided to approve the application and the licence will be reviewed in 12 months’ time.