Community torn over plans for covered beer garden at The Old Vol, Caythorpe
An application for a beer garden next to a village pub has received dozens of objections over flood risks and noise concerns — but also hundreds of supportive comments.
The part-retrospective plans — as the area is already used as a open-air beer garden — seek to build a new glazed structure next to the Old Volunteer, on Caythorpe Road in Caythorpe, and have been met with a mixed local reaction.
Owner Sean Reddington says the pub will have to close if the plans are rejected because without the expansion it will be unsustainable as a business.
The application was submitted by Mr Reddington in September 2024, and will be determined by Newark and Sherwood District Council next Thursday (May 8).
Under the plans, a single storey glazed structure will be built on a plot of land to the east of the pub used as a beer garden.
The building would be constructed with glazed aluminium framed panels and span 450 square metres, measuring about 2.9 metres in height.
There will also be seating pods, a fenced off children’s play area and an overflow car park to the western side of the pub.
However, the application has led to concerns from some residents and authorities over flood risks, traffic concerns and its impact to the Green Belt.
It received 42 objections from residents — one of which said “insufficient parking” could be an issue.
Another raised concerns over the “security and safety concerns for residents” living next to the area, as well as visual impacts to the “character” of the village.
The Environment Agency also objected to the plans over flood risks.
Caythorpe Parish Council raised concerns that the space could hold large functions such as parties and weddings, and would likely “worsen” traffic and noise.
However, the planning application also received 190 comments of support from residents.
One said the refurbishment would allow local businesses to “thrive”, while others praised the addition of a children’s area to the pub.
The development is overall considered “harmful” to the Green Belt, planning documents say.
This is due to the building’s modern design which fails to use “traditional materials” and does not “protect and enhance the surrounding landscape”.
The land falls under a flood zone and is “more vulnerable” to flood risks, hence the beer garden would be an “inappropriate development”, documents say.
Council reports also say the plans also do not provide enough evidence to make sure the proposed beer garden would be “safe for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere”.
It reads: “The proposal is for a use classified as ‘more vulnerable’ in the government’s flood risk vulnerability classification within Flood Zone 3.
“In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority, insufficient information has been submitted to establish that the proposal would not be at unacceptable risk from flooding or that it would not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere.”
Mr Reddington told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I hope it will be accepted by the planning committee in the next meeting.
“Because if not, we will have no choice but to shut the pub down.
“We make high profits in the summer, and with our staff in full-time roles it’s not sustainable to operate the pub without this new beer garden.
“All 33 of our staff will end up losing their jobs if the planning permission doesn’t go ahead.
“The beer garden will be built in an enclosed building so it wouldn’t be weather dependent, meaning we can hold events all year round.
“It would be a great addition to the community and we’ve received so much support for it.
“If the garden goes ahead, we will hire more staff so essentially we’ll be creating more jobs.
“We really hope the plans will be accepted.”
The application will go to Newark and Sherwood District Council’s planning committee on May 8, when it is recommended for refusal by councillors.
