Fear outdoor drinkers could upset bereaved

Funeral director opposes plan for seating outside bar

Plans to place seating outside a Perth City Centre pub have been opposed by a nearby funeral director who believes revellers could upset grieving families.

BrewDog has applied to Perth and Kinross Council’s planning department to place tables outside its pub.

The application is for four tables with two chairs each to be located on the pavement outside the George Street bar.

The Aberdeenshire-based brewery launched its Fair City watering hole at the end of last year on the corner of George Street and Bridge Lane.

Proposals for outdoor seating were submitted at the beginning of April but funeral directors James McEwan and Son has objected to the request.

Located just three doors away, management at the funeral parlour have suggested grieving clients could be caused more distress by walking past drinkers on their way to organise a loved one’s farewell.

Andrew Pennycook of the Perth firm also expressed fears over whether prams and wheelchairs would be able to pass the tables comfortably.

He said: “As the largest funeral directors in Perth, we have a large number of bereaved families calling at our premises in George Street.

“The provision of an outdoor drinking area a few doors away will cause distress and upset to already traumatised families. It will also create access problems on George Street for wheelchair users and prams on a street that is a main vehicle thoroughfare.

“The provision of outdoor seating has already been discussed and rejected by George Street traders with the overwhelming view that the appropriate site for any outdoor drinking areas are round the corner in Bridge Lane in the beautiful outdoor areas created at great cost by the council.”

This is the only formal objection to the proposal which has been submitted.

Centre for Inclusive Living Perth and Kinross has, however, raised some concerns over accessibility and called on the pub to take steps to contain its outdoor area, if approved.

Manager Gillian Edwards said: “As with other outdoor seating in the area, we would hope that planters can be added to this application and placed at either end of the seating area.

“This will hopefully mean that visually impaired people will be alerted to the obstruction in time to safely manoeuvre around it.

“There should also be an appropriate distance between the seating area and the edge of the pavement so that pedestrians can remain on the pavement without too much obstruction.”

The body also called on BrewDog to move an advertising board it uses into this marked area for the same reasons.

BrewDog were approached for comment but did not respond.

Perth and Kinross Council are expected to make a decision on the proposals in the near future.

The provision of outdoor seating has already been discussed and rejected by George Street traders. ANDREW PENNYCOOK