Tavistock Wetherspoons wins late-night licence extension despite local objections

Pub and hotel chain J D Wetherspoon has been granted permission to open later at weekends in Tavistock.

West Devon Borough Council’s sub-licensing committee took a short time to decide the application at a meeting on Monday to extend opening hours to 1.30am, after hearing from the company’s lead director and local opponents.

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Wetherspoons had asked for Thursday nights to be included in the extended hours for The Queen's Head Hotel, but this was refused by the committee in order to limit the possible impact of noise on residents living nearby.

The company previously closed at 12.30am and served food and alcohol until midnight.

Under the licence variation, food and alcohol can now be served until 1am.

There were 11 objections to the plans, including from Tavistock Town Council and West Devon Borough Council ward members.

Cllr Anne Johnson (Ind, Tavistock South West), who is both a town and borough councillor, said the later opening hours would contribute to anti-social behaviour (ASB), disturbance and reduced public safety, as there was no street lighting in the estates after midnight.

She said there was no public transport available at that time and very few taxis were operating.

There were 67 residents living in West Street, including families with young children, and disturbance was also experienced by people living in Bannawell Street, Russell Street and Lakeside from patrons leaving in “loud and boisterous groups”, which would be exacerbated by the later closing time.

John Taylor, who owns flats around the site, said the geography of the location meant noise travelled “like a megaphone” to nearby residents, and that the smoking area, which would be in use until closing time, was directly outside bedroom windows.

He claimed numerous complaints had been made to the council’s environmental health department and recordings taken of the noise, but this was disputed by officers, who said there had been no official complaints in recent times and environmental health had not submitted any comments on the application.

Mr Taylor said he was surprised by this and questioned why there had been no representation from police, particularly as the area is covered by a public spaces protection order (PSPO) aimed at limiting ASB and street drinking.

He said the extension of opening hours was “not good for Tavistock”.

Wetherspoons lead director Nigel Connor said there was demand for later opening hours, particularly at weekends, including for food, and he anticipated it would mainly allow existing customers to stay longer rather than attract new late-night patrons.

He said he understood local concerns but that the pub was well managed by Jo and Trevor Huckle, who had a 30-year history of managing Wetherspoon pubs and operated a good dispersal policy.

He said the late-night offer was not unique in Tavistock, as both Jack Chams bar in West Street and The Bedford Hotel already held late-night licences.

He added that a 1.30am closing time would allow people to leave more gradually.

Mr Connor said the rationale for having a smoking area at the side of the premises was to prevent people smoking at the front on the street.

Wetherspoons has operated The Queen’s Head in Tavistock, a town with World Heritage status, for more than 10 years.

The sub-licensing committee agreed to the licence variation for Friday and Saturday nights and encouraged residents to report any complaints to the council’s environmental health department so a proper record could be kept.