Aberdeen steak restaurant submits plans to rebrand as 'dive bar' with bucking bronco

An Aberdeen restaurant is preparing to rebrand as a “dive bar” with a bucking bronco and dentist chair – despite fears punters could be “catapulted out a window”.

Businessman Zee Ali recently took over House of Ginza on Crown Terrace, the former home of Prime Cuts Steak and Lobster House.

But he needed a “creative and feasible” idea to encourage customers to come back through the doors.

After taking inspiration from the Coyote Ugly Saloon in Edinburgh and Maggie’s Rock and Rodeo in Glasgow, he found the perfect solution.

Mr Ali secured a bucking bronco and former dentist’s chair to “bring a novelty experience” to Aberdeen’s nightlife scene.

But these new additions raised some concerns with Aberdeen City Council’s licensing and environmental health teams.

An application to amend the venue’s licence went before the Licensing Board.

Mr Ali, who has been in the licensed trade for more than 20 years and ran a nightclub in Stonehaven for 15 years, attended the meeting.

He revealed his plan to operate the venue as an American style country western/coyote bar that also serves food.

The venue would open from noon offering an “extensive” menu for families and turn into a dive bar at night.

He also unveiled his plan to rename the premises Rock Bottom.

Mr Ali also explained the need for the dentist’s chair in the venue.

Punters would lie in it and have staff members, who would be dressed as dentists, squirt shots into their mouths using a syringe.

“It is just an idea of administering it in a safe yet fun and gimmicky way,” he said.

But the council’s environmental health team flagged some concerns about the quirky new features, specifically the mechanical bull.

They said that health and safety risk assessments they received from Mr Ali were “incomplete and lack sufficient detail”.

Officers were unsure if appropriate operator training had been carried out and feared the bronco was “dangerously close” to a window.

During the meeting they listed several fears including customers being at risk of entrapment and “being catapulted out a window”.

Meanwhile plans for punters to dance on the bars gave them “grave concerns”.

They suggested that a condition be put in place ensuring the “high-risk activities” couldn’t start until environmental health was satisfied and any risks were controlled and managed.

Councillor Ross Grant seemed to be on board with the idea and even joked that his colleagues should go along for a visit.

“Can I suggest a team building exercise for the licensing board to the venue?” he chuckled.

But taking the matter seriously, he asked if the application could be deferred so any “significant issues” could be sorted out.

He added: “I do not believe that I have ever heard the words “the risks of being flung through a window”.

“It feels to me like it is probably premature for the board to make a decision.”

But council solicitor Sandy Munro explained that the board would be safer adding a condition to the licence that is already in place.

This was because the board’s remit is overseeing the sale of alcohol and less to do with health and safety rules.

He said that the suggestion put forward by environmental health officers was the best way to go.

Mr Munro also explained that the proposed condition would give licensing standard officers the power to step in if they found any issues.

Councillor Marie Boulton believed adding a condition to the licence was needed to address the “serious” concerns she had.

“I know somebody who took part on a bronco, having had a drink, and did not realise for a whole weekend that she had broken her leg in three places,” she said.

“It was the alcohol that made her not realise, it wasn’t the bucking bronco.

“I do think that this is far too premature, and I do think that it seems to be a bit haphazard in the way it is being put in place.”

Meanwhile, councillor Ciarán McRae revealed he had also visited the central belt venues and saw how successful they were.

He went on to say that something like this would be a “great addition” to the Aberdeen scene.

But he was happy to move ahead with the additional condition in place.

The board unanimously agreed to grant the licence variation along with the condition that no activity can take place until risk assessments and operating procedures have been approved.