Leeds Wetherspoon pub refused later opening after plan sparks opposition
A Wetherspoon pub in Leeds has been refused permission to open later after objections were raised with the council.
The company faced opposition to its plans to open the Charles Henry Roe, in Cross Gates, until 1pm at weekends.
JD Wetherspoon sought to alter its planning permission for the Austhorpe Road building, a former GP surgery.
The extension would have added an extra 30 minutes to last orders on Friday and Saturday.
Leeds City Council said ten letters of objection were received, along with concerns raised by Labour ward councillor James Gibson.
Coun Gibson wrote: “There are highways and parking concerns, with no evidence showing that increased late-night vehicle movements would not adversely affect residents.”
Objectors said their sleep was already being disturbed by noise linked to the premises.
One said: “The pub already has a large negative impact on the neighbourhood, extended hours only benefiting the business, not the community.”
Wetherspoon’s said a noise impact assessment was carried out and other measures would be in place to prevent nuisance behaviour.
A letter from the company said: “Discussions have been held with the licensing authority in relation to this modest increase in opening hours and the officer has confirmed there would be no objection to the proposal.”
The council said extended hours would generate more income for Wetherspoon’s, the report said.
But the venue was too close to people’s homes to have its opening hours extended.
A planning officer’s report said: “The submitted noise impact assessment has shortcomings and the ability to properly quantify noise impacts appears inexact, given the nature of the noise sources.”
The council report said the pub already had the latest opening hours in the local area.
Extended hours would have “serious potential to give rise to the generation of harmful levels of noise and disturbance.”