Pub’s smoking shelter must be demolished

3:36pm Thursday 6th March 2008

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A PUB has been ordered to pull down a smoking shelter "as big as a bandstand" after it was built without permission.

The 28ft by 16ft wood and plastic structure was put up at the Knuzden Brook Inn four months ago and Hyndburn Council has now rejected a retrospective planning application.

But landlord Brian Smith, who has run the pub since June, said he would appeal against the decision and claimed that the shelter was pivotal to his plans in the post-smoking-ban era.

Planning bosses turned it down because the L-shaped shelter at the back of the pub spoilt the look of the area and affects neighbouring properties with noise and disturbance.

And Coun Marlene Haworth, who represents the area and spoke against the application, said: "I appreciate that pubs need a smoking shelter and I'm not against them, but not one as big as a bandstand.

"It's an eyesore and the smell for neighbours must be atrocious.

"I had several residents call me up to complain about it and I'm not surprised.

"I don't know why the landlord didn't come to the council first and talk to our officers, all this could have been avoided."

Mr Smith hit back at Coun Haworth and said nobody had approached him to voice their concerns about the shelter.

He said: "I don't know who is objecting but they have not come to me.

"We have more children and families coming in here now it is a smoke-free zone and this was for them.

"I was going to put benches and tables underneath it so people could sit out here.

"It's such a sun trap during the summer and this would have added something extra. I will appeal against it because I have other landscaping plans for the back of the pub to fit in around the shelter."

Mr Smith added that he was intending to plant trees at the back to shield the pub from residents in Knuzden.

He said that he was not aware that the shelter, which cost around £2,000 to build, needed planning permission.

A neighbour said that it would be better if the smoking shelter was made smaller, but the pub was still "a nightmare" to live next to.

The resident, who did not want to be named, said his family were planning to sell their house to get away from the pub.

He said: "This smoking shelter is a complete eyesore, all the residents in the terrace row have to put up with smoke drifting into their back yards - and kitchens and living rooms if we have a window open - every night, and cigarette butts thrown over our fences."