Flint pub loses bid to sell drinks and play music outdoors after noise complaints

A Flintshire pub has lost its bid to sell drinks and play music outdoors after neighbours raised complaints over noise levels and anti-social behaviour.

Pub chain Marston’s recently applied to vary the licence of the George and Dragon in Flint to allow the use of extended beer garden created during the Covid-19 pandemic to continue.

The company said it would enable alcohol to be sold permanently from an external bar and for music to be played outdoors until 11pm daily.

However, strong objections were put forward by elderly people living at a neighbouring assisted living facility.

A Flintshire Council licensing meeting held today (Tuesday, November 30) was told residents at the Llys Raddington extra care housing scheme had suffered many sleepless nights because of noise from the pub’s beer garden.

Complaints were also raised over anti-social behaviour at the pub on Church Street.

Kenneth Archer, who has lived in the nearby apartments since they opened in October 2018, voiced concerns on behalf of a number of tenants at the virtual meeting.

He said: “For the first two years, everyone was pleased and pleasantly surprised at how relatively quiet Llys Raddington was in view of the fact that we are located in the centre of an active and vibrant town.

“However, this changed a few months ago when the last lockdown finished and businesses started up again, which was greatly welcomed.

“However, in the case of the George and Dragon, the noise was greater and ever increasing, especially at weekends as records and logs prove.

“This was greatly concerning to the majority of Llys Raddington tenants who are mainly upwards of 70 years of age and into their 90s, whilst also having numerous and various personal health problems.

“I like many others found I was being woken by noises from the George and Dragon and had to close all of my windows in a failed attempt not to be disturbed after 11pm.”

The local authority’s pollution control officer objected to the changes ahead of the meeting following several noise complaints against the pub.

North Wales Police did not raise any opposition, subject to a condition for noise levels to be monitored.

A legal representative for Marston’s said the pub’s landlady Lynda Leigh had worked hard to develop links with the local community.

Solicitor Michelle Hazlewood said the extension of the beer garden was part of efforts to aid the pub’s recovery from economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said: “Linda is a blood and tears Flint woman and feels very passionately about the place and the George and Dragon and what it provides to its community.

“She’s adapted her operation to meet her community needs and that’s what she did in the pandemic.

“She wants this space to be used by families and for it to be a safe area for people to come to.

“There is an accusation that this premises is out of control, that there’s crime and disorder and it is frequented by youths who are rowdy and disruptive.

“We’ve looked at a lot of the noise allegations, and many of them do not frankly ring true with us.”

However, members of Flintshire’s licensing sub committee said they felt there was a risk of a nuisance being caused to neighbours.

A statement read out on their behalf by council legal officer Ben Williams said residents had put forward “compelling evidence” against the application.

They therefore decided not to grant permission for the licence variation.

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).