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Planners call time on beer gardens

by Eve Dugdale
13/ 8/2008

BEER gardens are falling victim of the smoking ban.

Tameside Council’s planning committee heard that outdoor drinking spaces have become a problem for neighbours since legislation was introduced last year.

The Jolly Carter Inn on Manchester Road, Droylsden wants to move its beer garden from the back of the pub to the side because the present garden will be lost when the Metrolink is built.

But despite the landlord promising to reduce it by half and put up ‘acoustic fences’ and camouflaging conifers, the application was thrown out after residents said swearing and shouting from the garden had made their lives a misery.

Ward councillor Ann Holland said: "The people that live in the area, since the smoking ban came in, have really suffered. Elderly people find it very offensive when they’re sat in their gardens and hear people effing and blinding, not always in aggression, but they do find it very very offensive."

Pub landlord Tim Evitt said he would close the beer garden at 9pm to ensure residents were not disturbed, but the speakers’ panel raised concerns that it would be difficult to ensure people stayed out of the area.

Environmental health officer Claire Hames said: "Beer gardens have been a problem since the smoking ban. Obviously they’re being used differently and we are looking at them differently now."

Back in January this year, planning chiefs called time on Denton St Lawrence cricket club’s beer garden after residents complained about the noise. The decked area, surrounded by fencing, was put up without planning permission and owners were ordered to close the garden because it was disturbing neighbours.

Mr Evitt, landlord of the Jolly Carter for the past six years said: "I’ve been round to see a couple of the neighbours and given them letters explaining if they’ve got any problems please ring me.

"We close our beer garden at 8.30pm. Unfortunately, our customers who smoke have got to go to the front of the pub which we don’t really like because it looks intimidating. We were going to make the garden look like Chelsea Flower Show."

The pub is to appeal.