Bloxwich pub granted extra permissions following £350,000 refurb

A Bloxwich pub has been granted permission to show films and sports in its beer garden despite opposition from nearby residents.

Licence holders at One Man and His Dog on the Turnberry estate applied for the additional permissions as part of an investment programme from Marston’s.

The brewery has recently carried out a £350,000 refurbishment at the site after it became ‘tired and rundown’, leading to an increased workforce of 16 from its previous six.

Licensee Paul Newland, who took on the site in January with his wife Paula, submitted the application to Walsall Council to have a screen in the pub’s outdoor space for use between 10am and 11pm.

Neighbours Yvonne and John Richards raised concerns with the application believing it would cause problems for neighbours.

Mrs Richards claimed there had been an issue of drugs at the site in the past, and that drunk customers cause nuisance in the green space next to her home.

She said: “My house is on the side of the public open space so when the pub ejects anybody, I get the drunks.

“If the police haven’t told you that then they’ve been failing. Also the Environmental Health people have actually now arranged for us to have a no loitering sign on the side of our property.”

Mr Newland said he was unaware of problems that occurred before he took the pub on, and assured Mrs Richards that he doesn’t want to cause upset to nearby residents.

Mrs Richards added that things have improved recently and asked that it could remain that way.

It was heard that the pub’s refurb is hoped to make the venue more family orientated, and mitigations have been put in place to deter unsavoury characters.

In response to the residents’ concerns, Marston’s offered to amend the application for the outside screen to be used only until 9pm instead of 11pm.

Licensing committee members approved the application with the amendment.