Kamloops Council has supported a request to move the opening time for liquor service at Night Shift on 5th from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day, while leaving the downtown club’s 2 a.m. closing time unchanged.

The resolution, passed at Council’s June 23 meeting, supports an application by 1365321 BC Ltd. for a permanent amendment to Liquor Primary Licence No. 111831. The club is at 130 5th Avenue, at the corner of 5th Avenue and Lansdowne Street.

The City’s report says the proposed hours would be 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., Monday through Sunday. The existing licensed hours are 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Council’s resolution is a required local-government recommendation in the provincial licensing process; it is not itself the final approval of the licence amendment. Under B.C. liquor rules, a permanent extension of liquor-service hours for a liquor primary establishment requires a local-government or First Nation recommendation before the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch can make its decision.

As of Sept. 2, the available public records confirm Council’s support but do not confirm a final decision by the provincial branch, or whether the earlier opening time has taken effect.

The City received the application, numbered LIQ00230, on May 6. Its report identifies Night Shift on 5th as a theatre-like licensed space with a capacity of 625 people.

In its review, the City concluded the expected noise effect would be minimal because regular club activities take place indoors. The City also found the anticipated community impact would be positive, saying the change could support entertainment and event options for different age groups, including earlier-starting dancing or entertainment events and events aimed at patrons over 30.

Those are municipal findings, rather than independently established views of nearby businesses or residents. The report says surrounding tenants and properties are mainly commercial, including clothing stores, a spa, office space, Lansdowne Village Shopping Centre, a vacant restaurant space and an off-street parking lot.

The application was referred to the RCMP and local provincial liquor inspectors, and the City report says no concerns were noted through that referral. The municipal review also found no technical concerns.

Under the City’s liquor-licence policy, a change to business opening hours is considered a minor amendment and does not require public notification. The report also says the club will continue to need a good-neighbour agreement when it renews its City business licence each year.

The provincial application process asks local governments to consider such matters as the venue’s location, capacity, operating hours, noise and community impacts, and resident views where applicable. Council’s resolution will be forwarded as part of the provincial review.

City Council’s June 23 meeting highlights and the administrative report on the application are available online.