Wetherspoon is battling a decision by planners at the Lake District National Park to lock the gates on its plush £300,000 beer garden at 6pm.
The company’s bid to stay open until 8pm was turned down by the LDNPA on the grounds that it risked causing an unacceptable disturbance, following huge investment at the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, Keswick.
But the company is fighting the decision at appeal. The issue will now be settled by a government-appointed planning inspector, who will either uphold the 6pm closure or dismiss it and allow an 8pm closure.
At a recent meeting of Keswick Town Council, councillors voted very narrowly to stay out of that process and not try to influence the outcome by formally writing to the inspector in support of the decision by the LDNPA.
Cllr Duncan Miller told the meeting that the pub had created a “very nice landscaped area” and that many people in Keswick were mystified why customers should have to stop drinking outside at 6pm.
Mayor Steve Harwood said the works had been “very nicely done” but the town council’s planning panel believed a 6pm closure was the right balance.
Nearby residents and businesses had raised concerns about noise and said if the pub won an 8pm closure, it would then be back wanting to shut at 10pm.
