A City of Winnipeg appeals committee has upheld a ruling allowing an Academy Road restaurant to open a patio in a densely populated residential neighbourhood.

A number of residents had filed letters opposing the outdoor seating area at J. Fox's Restaurant and Local, which had been approved by another city committee last month. Some of the complaints stated the patio will be a noisy blight on the area.

The appeals committee disagreed Thursday, siding in favour of J. Fox's, which opened last year as Johnnie Fox's Traditional Irish Pub. Conditions of the licence prohibit amplified music and require the 24-seat patio be closed every evening by 11 p.m.

In May, the same committee approved a 40-seat patio for Pizzeria Gusto, less than a block away, despite neighbourhood opposition. Several residents argued before the appeals committee that the patio would lead to an increase in parking and traffic, hurting their neighbourhood.

They were concerned Academy Road would develop into something like the Corydon Avenue strip, a popular stretch of restaurants, bars, coffee shops and retailers. But the committee ruled Pizzeria Gusto's patio would be a tiny space that would not make a significant difference to the area.

Just one week after that ruling, the owner of J. Fox's filed a request to open his patio. Daniel Pedley said he was just responding to what his customers want.

"My clientele, my customers, they want to have lunch and they want to have dinner on the patio. It's what people do," he said, adding the space is an extension of his dining room, not his bar.