City centre golf venue on way despite hotel’s fears
A NEW indoor crazy golf centre is coming to Birmingham city centre – despite a nearby Travelodge claiming it will make half its rooms ‘unusable’.
Mr Mulligan’s Golf has been given the green light to open up a 36-hole ‘extra-large entertainment venue’ at Broadway Plaza in Five Ways.
The chain has similar venues around the country including those at Cheltenham, Milton Keynes, Newcastle and Nottingham.
But Travelodge, based directly above where the Birmingham facility will be located, had lodged an official objection with Birmingham City Council.
They had argued that the application, which includes selling alcohol and hosting regulated entertainment until 2am seven days a week, would lead to noise disturbance as well as disorder from people leaving the golf venue in the early hours of the morning.
Solicitors on their behalf wrote: “Our client anticipates that it may make up to half of the rooms of the hotel unusable.”
A further concern was that people would leave the venue and loiter in the hotel lobby to keep warm and to charge their phones.
Travelodge expressed fears that this could lead to intimidation and harassment of staff. The objection had prompted a hearing of a council licensing sub-committee which was due to convene on Monday, but the meeting was cancelled with the council confirming that Travelodge had withdrawn its objection.
A council spokeswoman confirmed an extra condition had been attached to the licence but was unable to state what the nature of it.
Applicants Adventure Leisure had also written to Travelodge to address its fears, reassuring that the venue would be fully soundproofed as well as pointing out the facility would not be a nightclub that would attract ‘thugs’ and ‘criminals’. The indoor golf centre will feature three 12-hole courses as well as table tennis and table football.
West Midlands Police has stipulated that it must be given 28 days notice of any DJ-led or live music events.