Stafford pub's beer garden plan for green space is rejected
A Stafford town centre pub’s bid for a beer garden has been given the thumbs down by council officers.
The Market Vaults’ landlord Ben Richards had hoped to turn a patch of unused land next to the St Martin’s Place pub into a seating area for customers.
He currently looks after the space, including picking up litter, despite no-one being sure of who owns it.
But an application by pub company Marston’s to bring the vacant land into use has been refused permission by Stafford Borough Council’s planning officers.
A heritage statement submitted as part of the application said: “There will be no impact on the area as the proposal is to place a modest number of tables within a disused area to which there is currently no public access.
“The proposal entails no impact on traffic or pedestrian movement and footpaths. No furniture will be fixed to the ground, with the tables being portable.
“The tables proposed are in keeping with the character and appearance of the surrounding area as they include traditional materials and colours.”
Appearance
However, planning officers said: “The introduction of densely sited picnic benches and loose fabric barriers in place of the soft landscaping and chain link fence would harm the character and appearance of Stafford Conservation Area and the setting of the adjacent listed buildings.”
The Market Vaults is opposite Stafford’s iconic Shire Hall, a Grade II listed landmark.
Mr Richards said he was disappointed with the planning refusal. He added: “I think Marston’s have been trying to do this for 30 years.
“It’s a waste of space really – I currently have to look after it and I’m trying to make it look pretty.
“There are only a few bars in Stafford that have a beer garden and it would be a good use of the space. It’s a sun trap and it would give smokers outside the front of the pub somewhere to go.”
But a Stafford resident, who objected to the plans, said: “The town centre lacks green areas. I know it’s only a small plot of land, but it looks more appealing than a paved seating area with a few shrubs dotted about.
“It is also rife with wildlife, especially with birds using the hedges.”
