Neighbours object to brewery’s plans
AN award-winning microbrewery is hoping to open its premises to drinkers seven days a week.
Meltham success story Three Fiends Brewery was launched in 2014.
After surviving the pandemic it is now hoping to cash in on the thirst for brewery taps by opening its own permanent boozer.
Three Fiends, based at Brookfield Farm, has won multiple awards and has hosted a number of “one off” events at its rural base, which is about a mile west of Meltham village centre on the edge of the Peak District National Park.
The team have now applied for a premises licence to allow them to open all week long. They also hope to be able to show films.
They hope to open until 11pm on weekends (Fri - Mon) but only during the daytime on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The plan received no objections from any of the statutory consultees.
But councillors on the licensing panel do have a small number of strong objections to consider from local residents.
One objector, who claims to be a supporter of the brewery, says they are “deeply worried” about revellers urinating over their walls and hedges as they tackle the long walk back to civilisation.
They claim previous customers have thrown stones at ducks and geese in their pond, while after one event a wooden chair was chucked in the pond.
“The combination of alcohol plus being up a country lane seems to invite loss of inhibition,” they complain.
The objector, whose identity is kept secret in council documents, says they also fear people will sprain their ankles or trip over on the unmade lane the brewery is on.
Fears of parking problems, access by delivery trucks and noise are also lodged.
A second objector also raises fears of drunken visitors “trespassing in fields and urinating against walls and trees.”
They also highlight the risk to wildlife of littered plastic beer glasses and broken glass.
A third opponent claims the brewery’s events have seen children climbing walls into their fields and leaving litter which was a hazard for their horses.
A fourth letter of complaint focuses on concerns about increased traffic.
Kirklees Council’s licensing panel is due to rule on the application on Tuesday, May 18.