Leigh pub gets ‘carry on’ approval over beer garden extension

A “retrospective” application to Wigan Council’s planners for the Brewery Inn on the corner of Brewery Lane and College Street in Leigh has now been approved by officers without the need for it go to the planning committee.

Retrospective applications are usually submitted when the applicant may have unintentionally overlooked the necesssity to seek approval from a local authority first.

Drawings show a boundary fence fronting onto the two streets – which had already been erected when the work was stopped – surrounding a grassed area partitioning a car park at the rear.

A report on the council’s planning portal says that the extension created a small external drinking area for the pub’s customers.

It goes on: “The amenity impacts of the expanded external drinking area on sensitive neighbouring uses and needs to be assessed, such as noise from users of the beer garden.

“The site does not directly adjoin any residential properties. However there are residential properties in reasonably close proximity of the site on Smith Street, College Avenue and Brewery Lane.

“On balance, it is assessed that the proposals are not likely to result in unacceptable amenity impacts.

"The application has been publicised by site notice and by letters to the neighbouring flats and houses, and no objections have been received.”

The pub is owned by Inglenook Inns and Taverns Ltd, based in Blackburn, and the tenant/manager is Colin Fryer.

At the time the extension was halted Mr Fryer said: “We’ve left it to our head office. A fence was put up about 12 months ago and then we got a letter from Wigan Council saying the work had to stop.

“We thought we would have to take the fence down, but it’s been left so that if the application is approved the work can restart.”

The pub is a popular haunt for sports fans who watch Super League rugby league and football matches on the televisions there.