Kings Norton Japanese restaurant applies for an alcohol licence

A recently owned restaurant in Kings Norton is looking to meet the demands of its customers and sell alcohol.

Ruga Fusion Japanese and Vegetarian Cuisine on Parsons Hill wants to serve drink to diners and takeaway customers from 12 noon to 10pm on Wednesday to Monday.

But the plans sparked objections from people living nearby who are concerned drunken behaviour they already suffer will be exacerbated while other issues such as parking were also a worry.

What has Ruga Fusion Japanese and Vegetarian Cuisine said about the alcohol application?

Restaurant owner Hong Pringle Luo told members of Birmingham City Council’s licensing committee the alcohol will only be available for customers.

She added it was only a small restaurant and it would be “unlikely” to have drunk customers in it.

She said: “It is extremely unlikely that anyone wishing to loiter in the street will purchase alcohol from Ruga Fusion Japanese, especially as there are two premises where they already sell alcohol next door.

“We would like to assure the police, council and local residents, based purely on our own self interest, we would never encourage people to behave in a way which would harm our business or local residents.

“We encourage customers into the restaurant to eat and drink in our restaurant, not discourage them.

“Since we opened from July up to today, we have a lot of customers and we provide fantastic food and already have regular customers enjoying their time in our restaurant.

“Also, we are asked why they can’t have some wine, Japanese alcohol during their meals.”

What have residents said about the plans?

Resident Sue Houghton, who also represented May and Phil Cheung who run a nearby Chinese takeaway, told the hearing on Tuesday (November 16): “We do get quite a lot of problems with people hanging around and drinking and being disruptive and noisy – that kind of thing.

“The main concern recently is if there was another restaurant there with customers going in for food and takeaway and having alcohol, things could spill out even more on to the street and cause more disruption.

“We’re not objecting to people having a meal, having a drink and having fun and enjoying themselves. But it’s another business alongside the others with alcohol involved. You just get concerned about the consequences.

“Also, we have such limited parking for people who live here. It is virtually impossible most of the time for ourselves.

“We need reassurance from the owners that things will be monitored and kept under control so they can run their business alongside everybody else.”

The application is being considered and a decision will be made in the coming days.

Drunken louts will loiter outside their Birmingham properties if a Japanese restaurant is given an alcohol licence, worried residents and businesses fear.

Ruga Fusion Japanese and Vegetarian Cuisine restaurant, based on Parsons Hill, wants to serve alcohol for diners and takeaway customers to meet demand.

The restaurant opened five months ago and, if approved, will have the facility to serve alcohol from 12noon to 10pm Wednesday to Monday.

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