Hayes Common owners Brent and Lisa Quarrie say they want to work with residents to find a compromise over the eatery's opening hours.

An eatery on the corner of a residential street has riled neighbours who are concerned about sleep.

Riverside cafe Hydro in Jellicoe Drive, Hamilton East, has been transformed into Hayes Common, a restaurant, bar and cafe. It is due to open on March 11.

But neighbours have raised concerns about how the business will impact their quiet street.

KELLY HODEL/FAIRFAX NZ Hayes Common, a new bar and cafe, in Jellicoe Dr is opening soon and some neighbours have expressed concern about the potential problems about noise noise.

A community meeting was held on Tuesday night at the premises and about 50 people attended.

Read more: Hydro Cafe in Hamilton reimagined

Owners Brent and Lisa Quarrie, who also own The Riverside Kitchen in Victoria St, called the meeting to address the issues residents had.

It was the second meeting that has been held about the eatery.

Trouble began when the Quarries applied for a liquor licence. The hours that were initially applied for, 8am to 1am, caused concern that a pub was going on the corner where a cafe has been operating.

There have been 13 formal objections to the liquor licence.

Jellicoe Dr resident Brad Izorsum, who has lived in the street all his life, did not formally object to the licence but is not happy about the restaurant near his home.

Izorsum said the last time the site operated as a bar, more than 10 years ago, it was bad and he fears the new business will be a lot worse.

"I've already experienced what it's like … the real issue is that this a quiet neighbourhood and when that place first opened up … the noise. These are old houses, the noise rises.

"There's just constant noise all day and all night."

Izorsum is a shift worker and suffered from sleep deprivation.

There were also issues about parking, with customers choosing to park in front of residents' driveways, he said.

He battled with the business owners in 2003. He said he complained to the council about the noise and the parking but nothing was ever done.

He resorted to what he described as "psychological warfare".

"I tried to make it look like a gang house."

He painted his gates camouflage and painted his own broken yellow lines in front of his home.

If noise from the new business got that bad he would consider doing something similar, he said.

​Lisa Quarrie said there had been some misconception around what they were actually planning to do with site, with some people thinking the emphasis was on the bar.

The plan is to operate a more up-market community eatery, Lisa Quarrie said; they weren't marketing to rowdy students.

They had been trying to work with those residents who had expressed concern and wished to find a compromise.

Opening hours had been shortened as had the liquor licence hours they had applied for.

The reason behind applying for a liquor licence until 1am was to allow for flexibility if a special event was held on the odd occasion, Lisa Quarrie said.

The goal was to find a compromise, she said.

The hours they have applied for are: Sunday to Thursday, 8am to 11pm and Friday and Saturday, 8am to midnight.

There will be procedures in place about how staff will deal with loud customers to ensure as little disturbance to neighbours as possible, she said.

They would aim to close the kitchen around 10pm.

"We've poured our heart and soul into this place and it's important that it is successful and beneficial to the neighbourhood."

The bar will open with a three-month temporary licence.