Stafford pub’s plans for more outdoor seating shelved following objection
A Stafford pub has agreed to shelve its plans to put out tables and chairs outside its entrance when it is allowed to re-open after the lockdown – but a bid to open another area for customers has been given the green light.
The Picture House, in the town centre, was already closed for refurbishment when Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on March 20 that all pubs must temporarily shut as part of the battle to stop the spread of Covid-19.
In February pub chain JD Wetherspoon applied to Stafford Borough Council for permission to put out tables and chairs for customers at the premises’ Bridge Street frontage, as well as seeking consent to open up a currently unused balcony for customer use and serve alcohol until 1am on December 23. Normally alcohol sales must stop at 12.30am Sunday to Thursday and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays – and December 23 falls on a Wednesday this year.
But the outdoor seating area plans met with objection from a borough council enforcement officer – meaning the authority’s licensing sub-committee are due to consider the proposed changes during a virtual meeting on Friday.
The officer raised no objections to the balcony or later serving time on December 23 however.
They said: “As an enforcement officer for anti-social behaviour on behalf of Stafford Borough Council, I have a number of concerns regarding this proposal.
“The Picture House already has a large, fenced off, outdoor seating area, to the side of the premises and I am concerned regarding the location of the proposed additional outdoor seating area. The proximity to the road and also the adjacent bus stop outside The Picture House means that there is potential for a bottle neck situation for pedestrians (including children and the elderly), if they are no longer able to use the pavement directly outside the Picture House itself.
“The pavement in this location is extremely busy at all times of the day and night and if the walk way area is reduced this could force people into the road, especially if the bus stop area is busy. The concerns above would be mostly relevant in the day time but would also apply during weekend evenings or when the night time economy is particularly busy.
“I would have additional concerns in the evening, mostly around having glasses on tables in a busy street, creating an increased risk of injury and assault by glassing. An increased outdoor seating space would also inevitably bring with it an increase in noise and potential disturbance in the locality.
“If the application for this seating area were granted I would like to see conditions on the license requiring SIA door staff in this out door space at all times, a robust policy in terms of regular glass collection and also a requirement for them to use polycarbonate glasses.”
The council’s objection was withdrawn this week though after JD Wetherspoon agreed to their request for tables and chairs to be at the Bridge Street frontage. This means Friday’s meeting has been cancelled – and the go-ahead has been given for the balcony use and later December 23 serving time.
The Picture House has been closed for several months after it was flooded in October 2019, following heavy rain and the Rivers Sow and Penk bursting their banks.
It was due to re-open for business on February 25. But in February – a month before the Government announced the temporary closure of pubs to combat the pandemic – the opening date was put back to May.
It took several weeks for the pub – which was previously a cinema – to dry out following the autumn deluge. But the largest refurbishment task was unrelated to the flooding – it involved repairing the ornate fibrous ceiling, which gives the building its Grade II Listing.
All required drainage remedial works are now complete, including the installation of non-return valves to the drainage which are designed to stop water backing up into the pub.
Refurbishment stopped when the lockdown came into force – and now the pub is expected to open around two months after the building team is able to go back to work onsite.