The Grade II listed building, which sits near James Street station, is to become an Irish-themed venueCastle Moat House, James Street, Liverpool Plans for another Irish-themed venue in Liverpool city centre could face a backlash over proposed late night opening times. The Castle Moat House building on Fenwick Street is to reopen under a new occupant.The Grade II listed building, which sits near James Street station, is to become another Irish-themed venue named McSwiggins. The site Castle Moat House was built in the late 1830s as the North and South Wales Bank, designed by Edward Corbett.McSwiggins will be the latest venue to open from hospitality operator Pub Invest Group, which controls more than 40 sites across the city centre, including similar Irish concepts Temple Tavern on Mathew Street, McNastys on Seel Street and The Dubliner in Temple Court. A licensing application logged with Liverpool Council has requested the premises to open daily from 9am until 2am with live music indoors.This has prompted concern from some around the building, including one opponent who said the noise from the site could be “intolerable”. The plans will now go to a crunch committee hearing with councillors to make a final decision on the hours being sought.Cllr Nick Small was among those to object to the proposed hours. In a written representation, he said: “Based on dialogue I have had with residents living on Fenwick Street and James Street, I believe that the application as it currently stands will result in increased noise nuisance for residents from the amplified music from the premises, so have suggested reasonable conditions to prevent this.“I also believe that the requested hours are not reasonable in this part of the city centre. This part of the city centre is increasingly residential and reducing the terminal hours as I suggest will help to protect that character by reducing public nuisance.”Cllr Nick Small(Image: Liverpool Echo)As a compromise, Cllr Small suggested hours could be reduced to 11am to 11pm on Monday to Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Sunday closing time would be 10.30pm as part of this suggestion.The building’s name comes from the building standing over the site of the old moat of Liverpool Castle, which once occupied the area around modern Derby Square. An opening date is yet to be announced but the tavern has teased the launch as “coming soon.”One objector wrote to Liverpool Council setting out why they could not support the requested hours as submitted.They said: “I oppose the 2am licence of this premises as I think it will have a negative impact on the surrounding area.“There is real concern this will cause anti-social behaviour late at night and as a resident I’m worried about the loud noise from live music and do not want a speaker to be playing music out on to the street.”Another opponent wanted the council to go further.They wrote: “I own two units and the extension of music until 2am is intolerable. I suggest that 10pm would be acceptable.”The plans will now go before Liverpool Council’s licensing and gambling sub-committee on Tuesday, June 9 for a final consideration. The ECHO contacted a spokesperson for Pub Invest Group for comment.
Irish venue plans for historic Liverpool site facing backlash
