Pub boss fears units nearby are putting off his patrons
Our regulars still come, but they can’t believe the council has allowed it
THE landlord of a Hinckley pub fears for the future of his business as he claims neighbouring industrial units are affecting trade.
The Lime Kilns, off the A5, is next to the Ashby Canal. On the other side of the waterway, two units have been set up by Tungsten Properties.
Pub boss Gary Buswell said: “We’re totally enclosed now with grey sheds, on all three sides of us. It’s only on the front looking out over the road that we have got fields.”
He said the multi-storey buildings are reducing the number of hours of sunlight in the venue’s garden, by the canal, and he has had problems with internet connectivity since they went up.
Mr Buswell said: “We have already had people who moor up who have said they won’t moor up here again, because they can’t get reception on the telly.
“We rely heavily on the canal in the summer – if they’re not mooring up, that’s us done for.”
The connectivity problems have also affected the card machines the pub uses.
A spokesman for Tungsten Properties said: “We are developing the site in line with planning permission that was granted by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council back in August 2019.
“The two units will provide much-needed industrial accommodation in the area and generate a number of jobs for people.”
Design documents filed with the application said: “The scale of the proposed development, its design and location will not affect any current ability to appreciate the canal nor intrude into key views of the Lime Kilns pub when seen from the A5 and the canal.
“The new commercial buildings will replace an area of derelict land with buildings similar to those presently in place.
“They will increase the number of buildings but, despite their size, the two buildings will represent only a marginal increase in the scale of the existing business premises.”
Mr Buswell said: “Our regulars still come, but they can’t believe the council has allowed it.
“It used to be a brownfield site but there wasn’t anything on there like there is now.”
The pub has regular drinkers from Hinckley, Burbage and Nuneaton, as well as the trade it gets from the canal.
Speaking previously, the pub manager said:
“There is no wildlife here any more. People used to enjoy sitting out in the garden and listening to the birds – they don’t want to hear five different radio stations coming from the units over in the park.
“There is also the issue of light pollution at night. It looks awful.
“Before the developments, we couldn’t see the end of our garden at night, but with all of the spotlights it looks like a spaceship has landed.”
The main road is set to get busier when a McDonald’s opens near Dodwells island. Plans have also been approved to demolish the Aldi store to the north of the Dodwells island on the A road and to build a larger shop.