Villagers welcome pub hours retreat

Nov 23 2007 by Sam Wood, The Journal

A PUB in North Tyneside has withdrawn its bid to open for 24 hours over the New Year period at the last minute - but may make another application.

The Plough Inn in Killingworth had made an application to open from opening time on New Year’s Eve until closing time on New Year’s Day, meaning it would have been open for 36 hours non-stop.

The application met with opposition from residents of the village, with 11 letters of objection submitted to North Tyneside council expressing concern at the plans.

A meeting of the North Tyneside Licensing sub-committee was due to be held yesterday [THURS] to discuss the application, but it was cancelled after the application was withdrawn.

A spokesman for North Tyneside Council said: “The Plough withdrew its application so the hearing no longer needs to go ahead.”

A spokesman for Mitchells and Butlers Leisure Retail, which runs the pub, said: “We were looking to try to increase the opening hours of the Plough over the New Year but having received feedback we decided to withdraw this application. We are considering making another application in due course.”

A letter to North Tyneside Council planning Department from Killingworth Village Residents Association, written by secretary Richard Dalziel had highlighted the fears of village residents.

In the letter he says: “Killingworth Village Residents Association objects most strongly to the request for an extension to the opening hours of the Plough.

“Continuous opening is likely to attract customers at all hours through the night and early morning with the inevitable consequences of noise from loud conversations, shouting, swearing, and vehicle noise.

“Children will be disturbed by abusive language that people leaving the pub will use.

“There will be urinating in public, vandalism, blocking pavements with vehicles and drinking outside the permitted time.

“Customers are not allowed to use the external seating areas after 11pm but given the smoking ban it is difficult to see how this can be enforced without drinkers moving down the street to smoke, directly outside peoples homes, before returning to the pub.

“We would ask the licensing team to refuse this request and allow the residents of Killingworth village to celebrate New Year without the inevitable disorder, disruption and distress that such as extension would bring.”

One of the objectors, who did not want to be named, said last night: “It’s a relief to all of us that this has been dropped.

“It would have ruined our New Year had this been allowed to go ahead. We will fight any further bid which is made to increase the opening hours of this pub.”