Spags want to open a new restaurant next door

Spags, formally ‘La Spaghettata,’ is a cult institution for students, for everything from crew dates, to birthday meals, to nights out at Fabio’s after formals, and we could be looking at having a whole new establishment right next door.

The owner has put in an application for an alcohol licence for Next Door, also on Saddler Street, a new restaurant offering Venetian style cicheti, or Italian tapas. It would be spread across four floors and also have a sky terrace; a garden terrace with views over Durham.

The business looks to be much more than a restaurant though. It’s applying for a licence which would allow it to serve alcohol, show films, play live and recorded music and have dance performances. The restaurant wants to be able to play live music between 11am and 1am every day, serve alcohol until 1am and provide late night refreshments until 1.30am.

The application for the premises states that it “will sell Italian tapas, with accompanying Italian wines, prosecco, prosecco cocktails and a substantial further cocktail menu.”

It adds: “This is something different for Durham, something not already done. It will provide more diversity for the city and will add diversity to the character of Saddler Street.”

Durham County Council licensing committee was due to decide on the application, but deferred a decision until January as there was no-one from the company at the hearing to answer questions.

Committee chairman Colin Carr said the council would look at the application in January. He said: “My major concern is I have a lot of questions so I would like to defer it and hear it at the earliest opportunity.”

Spags and students of Durham will have to wait to hear if the plans for an alcohol licence are approved, and if the streets of Durham will be graced with a Spags 2.0. Fingers crossed.