Nairn hotel and bar to see changes to outdoor drinking provision
A Nairn pub and hotel’s popular outdoor drinking area is to be relocated and its bar and dining area extended.
The moves are part of a range of changes to the Havelock Hotel that were being sought by owners Gordon and Morag Holding.
Granted permission by Highland Council’s licensing board today the extension of the bar/ dining area will allow the existing dining area to be relocated adjacent to the bar, to be utilised as the residents’ breakfast room and lounge.
The venue’s outdoor drinking area is to be relocated to the rear of the hotel.
Alterations have also been permitted to the hotel’s operating hours: on sales consumption extended from 12.30am on Sundays to 1am and for off sales to begin at 11am the same day rather than at noon as at present.
Outside drinking will, however, be curtailed, now ending at 10pm daily rather than midnight, with the owners’ agreement.
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The board heard that the proposed changes had been publicised and relevant bodies consulted, but no objections or other representations were received.
The licensing standards officer reported: “Extensive reconfiguration works have taken place at the premises with an extension being added to the side of the hotel which encloses what was the previous outside drinking area and is now sought to be included within the licensed footprint as such.
“This extension which will be multi-use enables the operators to relocate the existing dining area adjacent to the main bar whilst also having the option of making use of it for a variety of functions when appropriate to do so ie live music.
“The existing dining room will be utilised as a resident’s breakfast room/lounge.”
They added: “Application is sought to relocate the outside drinking area to the back of the hotel overlooking Marine Road and Nairn Links.
“Following consultation, the applicants have agreed to compromise and reduce the existing permitted hours for their outside drinking area from 2400 hours to 2200 hours.”
They added that environmental health, while not objecting to the plan, had requested a noise management plan outlining the management and physical measures to be put in place to reduce the impact of noise “as far as reasonably practicable”.
This had been submitted, they said.
Members of the licensing board approved the application.
