Wetherspoon has been given permission to continue operating a temporary beer garden at its pub in Keswick for two more months — but it will close for good on 30th November.
Allerdale Borough Council had given the pub giant permission to run a beer garden in the staff car park next to the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas until last Wednesday under emergency coronavirus powers when it reopened in the summer after lockdown.
However, Keswick Town Council and some pub neighbours who had successfully objected to Wetherspoon’s plans for a permanent open-air facility on the same site feared it would set a precedent and weaken their case against any future planning application.
Now they have been reassured after an online meeting with Peter Knapton, estates manager for the Workington-based authority, who told Keswick councillors: “After taking on board your comments, Allerdale Borough Council have decided to renew the licence for a further two months only, which means it will expire on 30th November.
“We will also be informing JD Wetherspoon that Allerdale Borough Council will not be offering a further licence beyond that date.
“Our intention has always been to have the arrangement on a temporary basis with an aim to assist the premises due to the COVID pandemic.”
Keswick councillors had complained that the first temporary beer garden licence had been issued without their knowledge.
It will continue to be allowed to stay open until 8pm every day.
Last year, Wetherspoon’s lost its appeal after the Lake District National Park Authority threw out its permanent beer garden plan following local objections, but the company could still make a fresh attempt to obtain permission for the al fresco facility at its pub in Bank Street.
Keswick’s deputy mayor David Burn said Allerdale’s decision to grant permission for the car park to be turned into a beer garden even on a temporary basis “flew in the face of the planning inspectorate’s decision to refuse the (permanent) application”.
Referring to the 30th November cut-off, he added: “I look on this as vindication of the town council’s stance.”
