Photo: Contributed

City of Kelowna staff will offer its support for Revelry Food + Music Hub in its quest to secure a liquor primary licence for the downtown food and music venue.

The matter will come before council during its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20, when staff will advise councillors to forward a resolution of support to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch for the liquor primary licence. Applicant Lee Simon is requesting a dual licence of both food and liquor primary permits in order for minors to be admitted until 10 p.m.

Revelry Food + Music Hub has been in the planning stages for more than two years. It first hit city planning desks in August 2020 as a three-storey building, but it cut its design back to two storeys earlier this year. Revelry already has its development and building permits.

The building, which is on Ellis Street across from Okanagan Regional Library, will serve as a food, beverage and entertainment business. There will be a café during the day, and it will also have a function room that can be used by local businesses and other groups.

At night, Revelry will become a music hall for concerts and other performances. It is therefore seeking a liquor primary licence for 685 patrons, although city staff concluded in its report that it is not consistent with a nightclub.

“The proposal fills void in arts and culture, including a live music venue,” city staff wrote in its recommendation to council.

The second floor will have a large open space that will allow people to see the stage down below on the main level. Capacity is expected to be 550 for standing shows, 275 for dining-style seated performances and 350 for theatre-style events where the patrons are seated.

“Alcohol is not a primary focus of the business,” Revelry wrote in its application for dual licence status. “Rather, alcohol is offered to those guests wishing to drink responsibly while enjoying Revelry Food + Music Hub’s planned programming.

“The primary business model targets GenX and Millennial patrons, with all others welcome. A hypothetical customer wishes to enjoy a fun evening on the town—perhaps have a glass of wine or two with food—and then return home well before midnight to relieve the babysitter.”