Extension to the Quantock pub in Bridgwater is approved

Greene King Ltd operates The Quantock pub at 95 Wembdon Road in Bridgwater, opposite St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.

The Bury St Edmunds-based brewing giant applied to create a new external bar at the western end of the pub, allowing patrons using its existing beer garden to order drinks without queueing up inside.

Sedgemoor District Council’s development committee gave the plans its backing when it met in Bridgwater on Tuesday morning (March 8).

The bar will be stationed at the northern edge of the beer garden, minimising the impact of its modern design on the grade two listed Victorian main building, and is designed to “ease queuing inside due to covid”.

Mark Cooper, who lives on Wembdon Road, said he was worried that approving the plans would lead to greater noise disturbance for him and other local residents.

He told the committee: “We moved into our property three years ago, before the previous planning application was granted, and we were unable to hear any activity in the pub – it was a quiet, peaceful family pub.

“Since then, we have been suffering with extensive and excessive noise disturbance – the noise from the pub can even be heard within my property. In the summer, it’s 12 hours a day until closing time, which is meant to be 11pm but I have heard this go on after that.

“There is no natural vegetation to stop that noise – it’s excessive and unbearable. At times in the summer, we aren’t able to use our front garden.

“It’s now attracting a different clientèle – groups of youths and adults who drink ’til all hours. In the last lockdown, the police were called several times to disperse these large groups that are congregating in the garden, because it’s changed from that quiet pub to a hangout for undesirable locals.”

Councillor Stuart Kingham sympathised with Mr Cooper, stating that he would struggle to support the changes even if it allowed the business to adapt to the long-term effects of the pandemic.

He said: “The public house has been there for a long time, and so has the garden.

"Circumstances over the last two years have created a lot more outdoor entertaining – and these people living locally around the premises have suddenly got to put up with a lot more than they expected.

“I find it very difficult to approve something like this when you’re creating more people outside making noise. I think it’s unfair to create more noise and disturbance to local residents.”

Councillor Mike Murphy said the outdoor bar was no longer necessary given the relaxation of the government’s coronavirus restrictions and the lower infection and death rates following the vaccine roll-out.

He said: “If we are to believe that covid is now in retreat and over – it still is there, of course, but it’s not the same as it was before and it’s no longer acute – therefore the reason for having the bar is removed.

“The most noise [in a pub] usually is at the bar. Having visited many bars in my time, there’s a great deal of discussions at the bar – people like to pose there, stand there, drink there, commune there.

“I think Mr Cooper’s evidence is really valid. If you grant this bar, you are amplifying the noise almost automatically.”

Councillor Alistair Hendry disagreed, arguing: “The pub was built before the house – so if you’re going to buy the house, you know the pub is there before you actually move into it.

“It’s a very unfortunate circumstances for Mr Cooper, but if he has any complaints, they should go to our licensing or planning control teams.

“We have to deal with what’s on the table in front of us – and reluctantly, I would have to say it’s acceptable.”

Councillor Bill Revans put forward an amendment to the plans, asking that they be reviewed after three years – rather than five as originally intended – and that an acoustic fence be installed to reduce the noise.

This amendment was accepted by the committee, which subsequently voted unanimously to approve the plans.