A wine bar owned by a former Wolverhampton Wanderers footballer is seeking permission to stay open later, despite an ongoing council investigation into noise complaints from residents.
Licence Suspension and Historic Breaches
Chill Wine Bar on Tettenhall High Street, which is owned by ex-Wolves defender Mo Camara, has applied to extend its closing time by half an hour to 1am. It also wants to play live and recorded music until 12.30am. This request comes while City of Wolverhampton Council's environmental health department probes both historic and current complaints about late-night noise from the venue.
The bar, which opened in 2017, had its licence suspended for a month after a hearing in July 2024. This was due to it allowing a series of unauthorised late-night lock-ins. Mr Camara was also removed as the premises supervisor after the bar was found to have served drinks to a packed house on consecutive weekends in February and March 2024, despite a formal council warning. He was, however, permitted to remain as the licence holder.
Council and Police Objections
The council has stated it does not object to plans for a new first-floor function room but has serious concerns about the proposed extension of operating hours. West Midlands Police have also formally objected to the application. Their objection centres on a plan to remove door staff on Friday and Saturday evenings, replacing them with 'risk-assessed' appointments, which the police do not support.
Local councillor Jonathan Crofts, who represents the Tettenhall Wightwick ward, submitted an objection stating he has received continued complaints from residents about noise since May this year. He expressed "great concern" that issues have persisted despite the full licence review in 2024 and another recently being called.
Resident Concerns and Upcoming Decision
In a separate objection, a Tettenhall neighbour described a "history of disregard for local residents from people visiting the bar." The objection cited problems with loud music, trouble, inconsiderate parking, shouting, and swearing. The resident argued that extending hours would worsen the situation for locals, including many elderly villagers.
The council's licensing committee is set to meet on December 9 to make a final decision on the application. This follows a council-requested review of the venue's licence last month. At the 2024 hearing, licensing manager Greg Bickerdike dismissed claims that only soft drinks were served after hours as "fanciful at best" and criticised Mr Camara for repeatedly staying open illegally.
Mr Camara's representative at that hearing, Lisa Richardson-Lewty, said the former player had made "poor management decisions" and that the bar now employs an "established and knowledgeable" supervisor. Mo Camara made 45 appearances for Wolves in the early 2000s, also playing for Celtic, Burnley, and Derby County.
