Refurbished pub near Shrewsbury granted licence for ‘pop up’ bars in grounds ahead of reopening
A riverside pub near Shrewsbury currently closed for refurbishment is on track to reopen in May after securing a new alcohol licence.
Two neighbours, the police and trading standards officials had objected to the changes to premises licence for the Mytton and Mermaid in Atcham, with concerns raised over noise and crime prevention.
But a panel of councillors said the licence variation – allowing for pop-up bars in the hotel grounds and extending the hours alcohol can be served – would not cause problems.
Pub chain Brunning and Price, which bought the hotel in June 2022, applied for the changes ahead of the scheduled reopening at the end of next month.
The Mytton & Mermaid has been closed for refurbishment since last year.
In their application to Shropshire Council, bosses said they wanted to include the whole building within the licence to allow for mini bars in the bedrooms, and to be able to serve alcohol from 8am daily, in line with the hotel’s breakfast offering.
They added: “Additionally, it is proposed that the adjacent grounds will be included within the licence so portable bar serveries can be located within the area, weather permitting, to provide the sale of alcohol to customers that wish to use the grounds.”
In response to representations from the police and trading standards, the application was amended to include extra conditions on CCTV, drugs and the ‘challenge 25’ scheme.
A hearing earlier this month was told that police and trading standards had withdrawn their objections as a result of the changes.
Two members of the public maintained their objections, however neither attended the hearing. They had raised concerns that the removal of trees would increase the levels of noise reaching their properties, and permitting alcohol sales from pop-up bars in the grounds “would inevitably result in additional noise”.
The decision notice, which has now been published, says the panel was satisfied that the responses given at the hearing by the pub chain’s legal representative Neil Styles of Harrison Clark Rickerbys, and James Killick, operations manager for the premises, “addressed the concerns of the objectors”.
The panel, made up of councillors Nigel Lumby, Peter Broomhall and Chris Schofield, agreed to grant the premises licence variation.
