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A landlord has been forced to close his beer garden and events area for the rest of the year, plus can no longer play music – and says it’s costing him £2,000 a week.
The Admiral’s Arm micropub in Queenborough had been using a patch of grass opposite its premises as its outdoor space.
Punters at The Admiral’s Arm during Queenborough Independence Day celebrations in June. Picture: The Admiral’s Arm
But Swale council has now enforced licensing rules after it received complaints about noise during the Trafalgar Court watering hole’s music festival earlier this month.
The three-day SKAdmirals Weekender featured live music performances on a stage between Friday, July 3 and Sunday, July 5.
But after the neighbours’ complaints, the authority told owners Nic and Sue Gray, who took over the business in February, that this was the last event they could hold until January.
This was because the pub does not have the proper planning permission for the stage and picnic benches.
The owners had been using temporary event notices to use it as a beer garden and events area for 28 days of the year.
Nic and Sue Gray in The Admiral’s Arm micropub in Queenborough
But because they did not remove the stage for music and wooden picnic tables between events, those days have been used up.
The council has told them they need to put in a planning application if they would like a permanent stage and seating area on the land.
There is also a condition in the pub’s original 2016 planning permission that stops it from playing amplified music inside.
Nic, who has been the boss of a multi-million transport business in the UAE, says he was not aware of this until the council brought it to his attention this month.
The 57-year-old has now removed the benches, taken down the stage, and stopped playing music inside.
The Two Tone Pirates playing during SKAdmiral’s Arm Weekender event earlier this month. Picture: The Admiral’s Arm
These moves mean the pub is missing out on around £2,000 of earnings a week, Nic says.
The publican has now applied to the council to be allowed to play amplified music inside between midday and 10pm.
He has not applied for planning permission to have the stage and beer garden.
Nic said: “Queenborough is an up-and-coming town when venues are dying quickly all over the country.
“The variety of pubs you have here is part of the reason people visit. That includes pubs having music.
Nic and Sue Gray are the new licensees of The Admiral’s Arm micropub in Queenborough
“We’ve had to cancel all our live music events for the rest of the year.
“We have 20 members of staff and if we can’t get the revenue that music helps to bring, we may have to cut staff.”
Since he submitted the proposals, more than 50 people have written to the council.
At the time of writing (July 24), 43 of the letters were in support, while 10 objected.
One neighbour pointed out that neighbouring venues are allowed to play music.
These include The Flying Dutchman and The Old House at Home pubs in Queenborough High Street, which are less than a minute away from the West Street watering hole.
The Admiral’s Arm micropub is near two other live music pubs in Queenborough
They said: “The micropub is a wonderful asset to the community of Queenborough.
“It is totally unfair to penalise this business but allow all the neighbouring pubs to have late-night outside music and events, which can be extremely loud.
“Make the playing field level again.”
Another said: “The landlord is, in my experience, very considerate to his neighbours and the surrounding area as regards noise or disturbance.
“It’s very, very hard for anyone in the hospitality business to run a successful business nowadays, and allowing this application will surely help a small business to survive.”
Inside The Admiral’s Arm Micropub in Queenborough, which has 10 craft beers/ales and 14 different ciders
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However, one opponent said they were within “earshot” of the pub and the harbour town “does not need another music venue”.
They added: “You can no longer go in for a quiet drink and something to eat.
“In the past four months, a massive stage has been erected and is still there. We have had motorbike meets, a three-day festival, DJs, singers, and alcohol and food all being served outside.
“Residents are now stuck in their homes with windows and doors shut.”
On the objections, Nic added: “There has been a lot of confusion.
The indoor seating area inside The Admiral’s Arm Micropub in Queenborough
“We are not asking to have live music. It’s not going to be rock and rave music playing into the early hours.
“We will follow the environmental rules. I’ve already had air conditioning installed so that we can have the windows shut when we do have music.”
To view the application to vary the condition of the previously approved planning application, click here and use the code 26/502379/FULL.
A decision is expected to be made by August 18.
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