A city councillor has added his voice to residents opposing a premises licence for a new £2m boutique hotel.

New Holgate Ltd wants to supply alcohol to residents and their guests for 24 hours a day and also to the public from 8am to midnight.

The New Holgate at 106-108 Holgate Road was previously the Holgate Bridge bed and Breakfast but has undergone a £2m transformation.

A report prepared for City of York Council’s licensing committee meeting on Monday (June 12), says the hotel has an 18-cover dining room, 12 cover basement bar and 36 cover garden space.

New £2m boutique hotel in York applies for alcohol licence ahead of opening

However, the 12-room hotel aims for “the exclusive design led boutique hotel market” and a “discrete clientele” when it opens next month.

The operators also say they will install comprehensive colour CCTV, no drinks or glasses will be taken outside the premises and alcohol won’t be served in the garden after 10pm.

But City of York Council has received 24 letters of objection to the application.

Residents say the area is quiet and tranquil, they fear serving alcohol will create noise and disturbance, both at night and to those working from home in the daytime, harm children attending St Paul’s Primary, and anyone wanting a drink should go to the nearby Volunteer Arms.

Such a hotel would also appeal to noisy racegoers and increased comings and goings in the area would attract others to commit crime, residents also claimed,

Similarly, in his letter of objection Cllr Kallum Taylor (Lab-Holgate) says having a bar open when people are dropping off and picking up children could create a traffic hazard.

Guests may create a nuisance to residents, and he is “very uncomfortable” about guests being drunk so close to the school.

York businessman Nick Bradley to open New Holgate

Cllr Taylor said he wanted more information about licensing conditions and mitigations, noting the hotel has amended its licensing application.

He said: “As it stands now, it appears that we are looking at what was once a discrete B&B with limited, if any, negative impact on the local community becoming an open bar in all but name, with few controls on it.”

Nick Bradley, Owner of New Holgate, told the Press: ”We have acknowledged the concerns of local residents and want to work with the local community to provide a safe, relaxing and welcoming environment for our guests to enjoy in harmony with those who live nearby.

“Our Application has been submitted in line with licences held by existing accommodation providers in Holgate, including those on the same street. It has been amended so that alcohol will not be served outside after 10pm. We have installed CCTV and employed experienced full-time night managers to manage noise levels and ensure responsible behaviour.

“The hotel will only have 12 bedrooms and the car park will remain as it was previously, with 12 spaces for use primarily by guests.”