Wedding joy after reception venue nightmare

A relieved couple celebrated their wedding in style after a last-minute change of venue.
The wedding of Ayshea and Matthew BlincoeThe wedding of Ayshea and Matthew Blincoe
The wedding of Ayshea and Matthew Blincoe

Ayshea Plumb and Matthew Blincoe were due to hold their wedding reception in a marquee outside The Olive Garden in Standish on Saturday.

But last Tuesday, Wigan Council’s licensing sub-committee decided not to grant permission for the event to go ahead, following complaints about noise from events being held in the marquee.

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Fortunately the couple were able to secure The Pines hotel in Chorley for their reception instead.

Miss Plumb, 43, who is four months pregnant, said: “The day turned out to be absolutely fantastic.

“The staff couldn’t do enough for us. It was worth all the stress to get married but I wouldn’t wish what we have been through on anybody else.”

The Olive Garden gave a refund to the couple and helped with the new venue.

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Restaurant boss Michael Madani had applied for temporary event notices for a marquee at the rear of The Olive Garden for several events.

But an objection was made by the local authority after complaints about noise.

The licensing committee also heard that retrospective planning permission for the marquee had been refused, along with an appeal, and an enforcement notice had been issued requiring the removal of the marquee.

At their meeting last week, they decided not to allow the events to go ahead.

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After the meeting, Mr Madani said: “I have tried to expand my business and I have been squashed. I will continue to drive forward. Now I want to sell off the marquee because it’s causing me too much stress.”

Karl Battersby director for economy and environment at Wigan Council, said: “We sympathise with the situation regarding the wedding and are glad the couple made arrangements with another venue.

“The Olive Garden doesn’t have permission for the marquee and this was decided by the government planning inspectorate because of the noise nuisance it would cause to residents. “