Pub-goers battle to keep tall slide
More than 3,000 people have signed a petition to save a giant children's slide in a pub beer garden at Sedgley.
Landlord John Coombes, of The Summer House, in Gospel End Road, has been embroiled in a row over the slide following complaints from neighbours about noise levels.
He is awaiting the outcome of a planning application to be allowed to keep the nine-foot high attraction, provided it is not used after 9.30pm.
South Staffordshire Council contacted him this week to say there had been complaints at the weekend from neighbours who claimed people were using the slide at midnight. Mr Coombes strongly denies this and says he is confident the council will allow him to keep the slide because he has consulted with them throughout.
"We still have Save Our Slide posters erected outside the pub and around 3,000 people have now signed a petition in favour of the slide," he said.
"We have now fenced off the slide on the council's recommendation and at 9.30pm it is shut and padlocked."
Mr Coombes added that the whole play area has been fenced off to prevent any childrfen from playing there there after 9.30pm."We decided to go one step further and fence off the whole play area in a bid to ensure there are no more complaints. We have also bought some new signs that explain to customers that the play facilities are not available after 9.30pm so we are hopeful the slide should be able to stay."
Mr Coombes dismissed fresh complaints about the slide as ridiculous.
"The slide and the play area is now padlocked at 9.30pm every night and there are signs up everywhere reminding people of this.
"No-one would ever be using it at midnight."
