VILLAGERS TELL OF NOISE FROM PUB
NEW FIRM SET TO TAKE OVER AS LOCALS ADDRESS LICENSING HEARING
A CRUNCH meeting has been told a new firm will take over a village pub whose previous tenants had “no control” over its customers, who would shout across the street and smash glasses.
The Middle Bell, in Barton under Needwood, is at the centre of a dispute between neighbours and its owner, Punch Partnerships Plc, over whether its closing hours should be reduced from 1am to midnight.
Neighbours say they don’t want the business to fail but have been kept awake with customers arriving and leaving the pub late at night.
However, the pub firm, which is a subsidiary of Heineken, pleaded with councillors to let the new tenants prove to residents they can manage it with no problems and revealed that Derby Brewing would take over when the pub reopens.
Neighbours had brought the issue to East Staffordshire Borough Council’s licensing team whose committee heard both sides of the argument at a meeting yesterday.
An objector, who said he tries to go away at weekends due to noise from the pub, told the meeting that on a bank holiday there had been a large fight where shopping trolleys were thrown down the street and a defibrillator almost taken off the wall.
He said: “It would drive anyone to despair. We try to get away every weekend to escape the noise.
“I have tried many times to speak to the pub company. I don’t want this business to fail because we had more problems when it was empty but we are just fed up.
“We don’t want to see this pub fail but these hours should be reduced.”
Another objector, Ian Jackson, told the committee there was video evidence of people drinking outside until 1am. He added: “We have people standing in the car park shouting across the road, we have car doors slammed, engines revving, taxis sounding horns.”
Another neighbour, Susan Burton, said: “We can hear the noise against our house, people in the garden urinating, empty glasses smashed. The noise at times has been atrocious. We cannot sit out in the garden because of the noise from the pub.”
Barton parish councillor Ed Sharkey told the meeting: “We have our main recreational area and on several occasions we have had people coming, probably, from the pub and carrying on the party and creating a noise nuisance. “The lack of control is causing a nuisance.
“We are delighted that the pub will reopen, however a pub that is badly managed and badly run is not a great asset to the community.”
The committee also heard that nearby pubs all close by at least 12.30am.
Karen Cochrane, on behalf of Punch Partnerships Plc, admitted there had been difficulty in communication as it was not clear to everyone who the tenant was. She told the meeting: “We are aware there is concern. The previous tenant was only there from December to March when the pubs shut and it opened again from July to October.
“The previous tenant wasn’t a great fit and they have left, which is significant.”
She also revealed a new tenant will take over the pub when it reopens on December 2 under Derby Brewing. The company started in 1991 and she said: “They intend to make local ales there and homemade food, and they have a number of sites which are close to residents.
“They do trade later but don’t use it that time, only for special occasions. In doing that it will be supporting local businesses in exceptional times.
“I ask that you give them a chance to let them prove themselves to you.”
A decision will be made in the next few weeks.
The noise at times has been atrocious. We cannot sit in our garden because of the noise from the pub. Susan Burton