A CAF, delicatessan and wine merchant in Kendal's historic Kirkland hopes to meet customer demand with a brasserie-style bar.

The partners behind Eclectic have submitted plans to change the use of the downstairs shop into a licensed bar for sales of alcohol, soft drinks and coffee. They also hope to

extend the opening hours of the upstairs caf from 10am-7pm to 10am-12.30am.

Nisha Pannu, who runs Eclectic with Rob Cocker, said customers could only be served alcoholic drinks with food in the upstairs caf at present. "People have said there isn't a bar in Kendal where they can have a glass of wine after work, a bit of tapas, a bit of chat," she explained.

Eclectic hopes to bridge the gap by giving customers the freedom to order drinks and snacks along the lines of a Continental brasserie, on specialist nights such as Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Kendal town councillors this week recommended the plans for refusal. Planning committee members were concerned about the effect on neighbours during "anti-social hours", but they felt the ground-floor change of use was "fine in principle".

They also felt they could accept an extension of opening hours to 11pm Sunday to Thursday, and to 12.30am Friday and Saturday.

If the planning application is approved by South Lakeland District Council, and a licence secured in court, Eclectic would seek bar staff and perhaps a night-time chef.

February 7, 2003 10:00