BusinessNEWS

Fears of wild behaviour behind patio denial

CRYING FOUL: Mansour Farah says the city “unfairly” denied his application for a patio licence, despite the previous owner having been granted one.
CRYING FOUL: Mansour Farah says the city “unfairly” denied his application for a patio licence, despite the previous owner having been granted one.

Mansour Farah pours a pint of beer for a customer at his Wild Wing restaurant midway through an afternoon World Cup match.

But upon learning he can’t use the patio, the customer leaves.

“See?” Farah says in disgust. “This is an example.”

He says it has happened on a daily basis since summer patio season began. He estimates his business is losing “25 percent, minimum” without the patio.

The patio at 666 Millwood Rd. is not licensed by the city. Farah’s application was rejected by community council upon councillor Josh Matlow’s recommendation in October.

Farah says his application was seeking to transfer a licence the patio had been granted under previous owner Mehran Niksar. City staff recommended the application be accepted.

“I feel an unjust decision has been made against me,” Farah says.

Matlow says he’s spoken to Farah several times and, though he empathizes with him, he also had to listen to the concerns of neighbours who live on Millwood.

“When there was a patio there before, there was a history of misbehaviour — people acting loudly and drunk and urinating,” he said. “It left the neighbours with such a bad experience that when the new owners of the property applied for a permit residents made it clear to me it was not something they would support.”

Matlow says he’s told Farah “three or four times” that in order to get support from the city he needs to go door to door on Millwood and talk with residents.

“To this date, those steps have not been taken,” he said. “What is clear is there are a number of residents on Millwood who strongly oppose a side-fronting patio there.”

Farah said he does want to speak with anyone who has concerns so they can work to find a solution that makes everyone happy.

“I’m here to do business,” he said. “I’m not here to harm neighbours.”