A RESTAURANT that faced having its licence revoked just months ago has been told it can continue selling hot takeaway food and operate as a bar.

Violet’s, named after the late “Godmother of Soho” Violet Trayte, and its neighbouring premises Mediterranean Café, were hauled in front of Westminster City Council in January after repeated breaches of their licences.

This included selling alcohol after hours, allowing customers to drink without food, and using unauthorised chairs and tables on the footpath in Berwick Street.

Dozens of residents wrote in after the city council ordered a review of the premises’ licences, both of which are owned by Ali Aksu.

Isabel Anderton, speaking on behalf of the Soho Society, said: “The café has already demonstrated it can’t be trusted to operate responsibly, and we cannot rely on their proposed operational management plans to be upheld,” she said, referring to the licensing issues.

“Soho does not need another bar. It needs better management of existing premises.”

Councillors opted not to revoke the licences but did implement a series of conditions, including barring Mr Aksu and his brother Mehmet from working inside either premises and for a sign to be erected warning customers alcohol could only be sold with a meal.

Westminster’s planning sub-committee heard an application for retrospective planning permission at Violet’s.

Monmouth Planning, which filed the application on behalf of Violet’s, wrote in the submission that the change will allow for more flexibility around the use of the space while retaining the option for it to be run just as a restaurant in the future if the current operator leaves.

Danielle Zaire, from Monmouth Planning, referring to the changing nature of Berwick Street Market, told the meeting: “In line with this, the applicant has expanded their services to include a lunchtime takeaway service complementing the street food market and an evening bar use, which aligns seamlessly with the established character of Berwick Street.”

Ms Zaire also touched on the recent licensing history, clarifying that the two brothers are no longer involved in the management of the premises.

There were just two objections, one of which was from the Soho Society, specifically about the proposed drinking establishment element.

It said: “Berwick Street has a significant residential population and any increase in premises which are permitted to serve alcohol only is to be resisted as it is likely to lead to a loss of residential amenity, in particular from noise.

“There have also been issues over management of this and the adjacent premises under the same management, including breaches of licensing conditions which do not allow for confidence that the management plan will be adhered to.”

Committee chair Cllr Paul Fisher, while approving the application, said: “I think we underestimate the impact on people who live in social housing and are paying social rent at the heart of our city.

“We chose to put them there, they didn’t in all cases choose to be in Soho.

“People forget that a third of housing in Soho is not rich people who want to experience the nightlife, it’s actually people who Westminster city councillors put there.” He added, though, that from a planning perspective, the submission would give the council more control than it currently has over the premises, a fact he described as the “most material consideration”.

The application was unanimously approved.