New roof could keep St Andrews ‘pergola’ beer garden standing

A pub owner has proposed another solution to avoid having to tear down a covered beer garden at the centre of a planning blunder when it was described as a pergola.

Signature Pubs has proposed the 12ft high and 54ft long structure at the West Port Bar in St Andrews could have a fully enclosed rather than retractable roof.

It previously applied for permission to shift the apparatus, which Fife Council ordered be removed, to the other side of the rig garden in South Street.

Now it has proposed the relocated structure could have a double glazed roof to reduce any noise nuisance for those living in neighbouring houses.

However, it also wants to increase use of the garden area, creating an outdoor dining area for up to 92 people and adding parasol canopies and 15 timber booths, all with sound-proofing materials.

Councillors were dismayed when they discovered the scale of the socalled pergola granted planning permission in 2012.

Following a complaint by the family of an elderly woman who lived next door, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman heavily criticised failures in handling the planning application.

Signature Pubs’ planning agent, Rapleys, told Fife Council: “The effect of full enclosure would be to further reduce noise levels at key receptor points, and thus further benefit local residential amenity particularly on the west garden boundary wall.”

It said the company was confident the new roof enclosure would almost completely mitigate any noise impact.

Aberdeen-based Signature Pubs announced it had bought the West Port Bar just weeks after councillors agreed in 2015 to serve the discontinuation order.

Despite its latest proposal, the company still wants its previous planning application for the relocated structure with a retractable or partially enclosed roof to be determined.

David Turner, who claims his late mother’s final days were blighted by disturbance from the beer garden, objected to the previous planning application, stating the severe noise issues likely from the vast increase in the number of customers seated outside “could not be more obvious”.