‘Our customers have the right to go outside’

Landlord’s anger as picnic tables plan thrown out due to anti-social concerns

PLANS to set up picnic tables outside a town centre pub have been thrown out – after police raised concerns about anti-social behaviour.

Brewery Marston’s had applied for permission to create an outdoor seating area in front of the Cattle Market pub and close to the Nicholson War Memorial in Leek.

But Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has refused the application amid concerns about the potential for late-night noise and nuisance behaviour.

Heritage groups had also raised fears about the impact on the nearby memorial, known locally as The Monument.

Licensee Ed Lawton said he was disappointed the plans for three tables and eight chairs had been blocked and hopes the brewery resubmits them.

The 48-year-old said: “There is no outside area. If the weather is nice we would like to put some tables so the customers can sit out there. The micro pub, Beyond The Pale, has seats outside.

“We are a local pub for locals. We have a mature and friendly crowd.

“We are probably the only pub in the whole of Leek which has not got an outside area.

“Hopefully the brewery resubmits the plans. It would be good for our customers. They deserve the right to go outside if they want to.”

Customer Marie Hughes, aged 59, of Leek, disputed concerns the outside area would be detrimental to The Monument.

She said: “Nobody would damage the war memorial. Everyone has respect for that.”

Andrew Robertson, aged 49, of Leek, added: “The pub should be able to have tables outside. It is a good community pub. A good crowd gets in here. There is a good mix of people. I think the council are a bit stuffy.”

Outlining their opposition, The Friends of Nicholson War Memorial – a group made up of councillors from Leek Town Council and volunteers – said they ‘strongly objected’ to the scheme.

In a letter to the authority, they said: “It is Grade Ii-listed, one of Leek’s iconic buildings and [the application] would be highly detrimental to the character and appearance of the war memorial.”

Leek Town Land Trustees said they had not been consulted on the plans and also opposed them.

The group said: “The land was given to the trust for the good of the inhabitants of Leek, and more specifically I understand it was intended to be a garden for the blind.

“We are not able to support the application, or the use of the land for the proposed purpose.”

In their refusal notice, council planners said: “The proposal would potentially cause and exacerbate existing antisocial behavior problems in the area and encourage inconsiderate, intimidating and nuisance behaviour, which could potentially be a source of conflict.

“The proposals would involve noisy activity on the street at unsociable hours of the night and early morning which would adversely affect the amenity of the surrounding area, including residential properties.”