Licence approved for hotel's conference centre
BBCA function suite and conference centre could open in a former distillery inside a hotel.
The Roker Hotel, in Sunderland, wanted to vary its existing premises licence to include the rear lower ground floor, which would be converted into The Seaton Suite facility.
A local resident had objected over "public nuisance and safety", but the city council's licensing sub-committee granted the application.
The hotel previously said conferencing would be the primary use of the new space, which would hold up to 200 people, with plans in place to manage noise.
Roker Hotel representatives told the sub-committee last week the current operator had run the premises for the last three years with no issues raised by the council's environmental health department.
They added local residents would be told in advance when larger events with a higher chance to cause disturbance would take place.
A noise limiter would also be installed.
However, the public objector said he was still concerned about noise late at night from the new rear access point and the frequency and duration of the events, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The hotel had said in a council report the venue's main entrance would continue to be used, with patrons picked up and dropped up "via the main doors and front car park".
The licensing sub-committee granted the application following following private deliberations.
The decision can be appealed.
