Landlord who poured ‘heart and soul’ into lifeline pub ordered to tear down £13k terrace after ‘one resident complains’

A landlord who has put his “heart and soul” into transforming a Darwen pub into a vital community hub has been left devastated by a council planning decision to tear down a beer garden shelter.

The unfinished structure at the Alexandra Hotel has so far cost £13k, after the cost of materials doubled during the cost of living crisis. The team behind the watering hole had applied for retrospective permission for a raised decking area with canopy – but this was rejected by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council planners.

Paul Dean, 48, runs the pub, in Hindle Street, with John Scott, 62, who takes care of the day-to-day management and lives on site. The dedicated duo say they have worked tirelessly over the past 18 months to turn the run-down pub’s fortunes around.

And the pair, who have been regulars in the pub for more than 15 years, also claim to have saved the vital community hub from potential demolition and being turned into flats.

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The duo now run a thriving family-friendly venue, hosting community events and foodbanks, with the covered shelter which opened in time for an annual Bonfire Night celebration last November.

“We checked with the building owners if we needed planning permission but we were told because it was free standing, it wasn’t necessary,” Paul told LancsLive, who said he has waited 17 weeks for a council decision.

“We got it finished enough to use for Bonfire Night but then a single resident complained about it and it led to us being asked to apply for retrospective planning permission. These residents complain about everything, such as motorbikes revving their engines and I do understand as they have a young family but they also live on a busy road opposite a pub.

“We built the shelter with the best intentions, because customers asked for it and we needed a covered outdoor space for smokers to be tucked away, so they didn’t congregate in the doorway when it is raining. We have put our heart and soul into the pub. We barred so many people and sorted out the issues, we really feel like we have saved it.”

The council’s rejection letter to Paul says the structure isn’t “aesthetically pleasing” but he feels the process has not been “in-keeping with standard applications”.

Paul told LancsLive he hired a specialist planning consultant to assist with the application, who he says is “shocked” at the “straight denial”, without a site visit or asking for alternations or changes to the shelter.

They opted to construct the shelter at the front of the pub because a previous landlord built a small one at the back and it generated hundreds of noise complaints because it backed onto two rows of terraced houses. Paul added: “There has been no conversation with the council, no dialogue at all. We are willing to change it or adapt.”

“I feel like our application was just put to one side. We put the shelter up for the health and safety of the children, so they didn’t have to walk past smokers at the entrance. Parents bring their kids for a bit to play on the grass because they don’t have gardens at home.

“It isn’t even finished because we didn’t see the point in spending more money until we sorted the planning out. The roof is currently felted but it was going to be tiled.”

Paul says he plans to “lawyer-up” and appeal to council’s decision, with the cost of tearing it down potentially much more than the £8k to get professionals to do it, with some of the wooden beams 8m tall. “We have six months to appeal so we can get through summer but may have to rip it down before Christmas, and then who knows,” Paul said. “I just want to know what they expect us to do, without it actually being a full brick extension. “

A report by planning officer Christian Barton stated: “Public comments have been received objecting as additional noise impacts may be caused. The covered decking area adjacent to the pub itself makes it more likely that customers will congregate and use this area late into the night.”

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Planning Manager Gavin Prescott said: “In short, the structure that Mr Dean has built does not comply with the planning permission Admiral Taverns was granted in 2020 and is of poor design. We feel that it would be very difficult to modify the existing structure to an acceptable form. The only realistic way forward would be to rebuild the canopy in accordance with the planning permission Admiral Taverns was granted in 2020.