Southampton bar proposal thrown out over disorder fears

The building - as pictured here in 2015 - was previously used as Kuti's Brasserie

A bid to turn an unused building into a bar has been turned down over fears it would increase the risk of disorder.

Developers had hoped to use the site, previously used for Kuti's restaurant in Oxford Street, Southampton, as a four-storey bar with a rooftop terrace.

But police, licensing officers and councillors opposed it getting the go-ahead over the concerns.

The building has been unused for five years.

Hampshire Constabulary told a council meeting there have been 71 incidents of disorder at night in the area so far this year.

'Throwing of tables'

Though they are not linked to any particular premises, the force said any increase in bars would have a "detrimental effect on the area".

"We have already seen large-scale disorder in the street during the latter part of last summer that included throwing of tables and chairs, hardly the behaviour expected from the European restaurant culture the street is trying to portray itself as," they said.

Although local councillor Sarah Bogle said she would welcome the building being used again, she was worried it could "put more pressure on very scarce police resources", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

"Oxford Street is a lovely street with a positive mix of uses - I would prefer this remained as a restaurant with a bar rather than [just] a bar as it is a very large space that could change the character of the local night-time economy," she added.