Green light for outside Solihull bar despite neighbours' concerns pubgoers 'urinate in gardens'

Brickmakers Arms granted permission for outside bar

A pub has been given the green light to have an outside bar area despite concerns from neighbours. Residents living near the Brickmakers Arms in Balsall Common pub had raised concerns about pub-goers urinating in their hedges and gardens; drug taking and noise when the bar was used during the summer.

As the Local Democracy Reporting Service previously reported the pub already had a licence to serve alcohol between 9am and midnight Monday to Friday; 9am to 12.30am Saturday and Sunday. The Station Road-based pub applied for a variation with that licence and hours to include the outside bar.

The bar is already built and was used in the summer to screen sporting events on a large television screen - which is also understood to now need permission from Solihull planners. At the latest meeting of Solihull Council ’s licensing act panel, members heard that it was thought the application submission had been “triggered” by an incident in the summer.

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The panel’s report says: “On Saturday, July 6, during an England match, licensing officers witnessed cans of drink being sold from the garden area. An email was sent to Punch Partnerships and the DPS which appeared to have triggered the variation application.”

The event the pub was screening that day was England’s quarter final victory over Switzerland in the football European Championships. During the consultation process eight objections were made, five from residents living near the watering house and three from local councillors.

In her objection Councillor Heather Delaney said: “Over the last few months (the outside screen was used) we have had many complaints from residents with regards to noise, antisocial behaviour, parking issues and drug taking. I believe an outdoor bar would exacerbate these issues.”

Resident Simon Standley wrote: “Since the recent (unauthorised) addition of a screen and other amendments to the beer garden, there have been numerous events where the capacity of the pub has been significantly over extended, leading to a huge number of people causing disturbance to the neighbourhood. There has been a huge increase in excessive and inconsiderate parking on Station Road, Sunnyside Lane and others.

“Pub customers have been witnessed by residents (and evidenced) urinating in Station Road hedges and gardens." Officers in a report to the panel said the applicants agreed to implement additional conditions following discussions with West Midlands Police and Solihull Council’s environmental health team.

The panel granted the premises licence variation with conditions including:

• CCTV covering outside area
• Notices by doors asking guests and patrons to leave the pub quietly/being respectful to neighbouring properties.
• Regular monitoring of noise levels
• A member of staff within the garden manning the bar when in operation

The panel also accepted the applicant’s offer to notify residents - living between Brickmakers Arms and Dockers Close - 72 hours prior to events in the beer garden that would attract upwards of 150 people. The meeting was held at the Civic Suite on September 9.

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