Pub in pledge to invest as it’s back open for business

But residents say new licence will be a magnet for late drinkers

A POPULAR Staffordshire Moorlands pub is set to reopen after new owners took it on and pledged to invest in improvements – despite objections from people living nearby to its closing time.

The Biddulph Arms has been run by several different tenants over the past few years and has been closed for more than 12 months.

But pints could soon be pulled once more at the Biddulph boozer after its new owners were granted a premises licence by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council last Friday.

Businessman Inderjit Garcha had to apply for a fresh licence after the deadline to transfer over the old one was missed.

The application received five objections from local residents, who raised concerns about the Congleton Road pub opening until 1.30am at weekends and 12.30am on weekdays.

Brian Jackson said: “The noise emitted from the premises after 11pm is unacceptable. In the past complaints were made to the council but no action was taken, as far as I’m aware.

“The proposed licensing hours will act like a magnet to attract customers, who may have already consumed copious amounts of alcohol, to travel down from the town in order to carry on late drinking. This invariably will lead to noisy, rowdy and unacceptable behaviour.”

Another resident, Christopher Proctor, said there had been loud music from the pub in the past.

“I strongly object to the application for late licensing hours”, he added.

But Sukhi Garcha told Friday’s hearing: “It’s the same as the previous premises licence that has been in place over the last few years. We are not extending the hours as some have been led to believe.

“These times were in place previously but that’s not to say the premises will be open for those specific times.

“We have seen support from the local community because the pub has been closed for a year. We are looking to make significant investment to the property and bring it back to life.”

Senior licensing officer Mike Towers told the hearing there had been no complaints about the pub since 2017.

“The pub has opened and closed a number of times since 2012, indicating there is a reasonably quick turnover”, he added. “It has opened and closed five times.

“Monitoring of complaints started in 2012. We had three in 2012, all related to noise. There was a complaint in 2013 regarding loud music and in 2014 there were two complaints, all relating to loud music. There was also a complaint windows and doors were not being kept properly closed during performances of live music and 2017 was the last recorded complaint.”

Mr Garcha said: “The windows are maybe 40 years old and we are looking to change them to double glazing. We can keep the windows closed.

“We have bought the property - we are not here for six months and then disappear. We own the shop next door and we are here for the long term.”