Please find below response from St Andrews Parish Council regarding the Blunsdon Arms License Application:

The application for an extended opening and off sales license for the Blunsdon Arms pub is objected to by St Andrews Parish Council. The reasons for objection fall into 3 main categories: Noise, Site Location and Off Sales.

Outdoor noise always carries further and is perceived louder than noise from indoors. The Blunsdon Arms pub is very close to residential properties (Sandstone and Pennine way) and immediately adjacent (2 to 3 meters) to Blunsdon Court Care Home for the elderly. An extension to the hours of the existing license will no doubt result in loss of or disturbed sleep for residents. Many of the residents at the care home are not well and at an average age of 86 years old need peace and rest to aid their recovery. There will also be an increase in traffic passing the Blunsdon Court Care Home walls and windows due to off sales which will also be extended well into the early mornings.

Providing an off sales license will make it easier for older teens to buy in quantities in order to supply their underage peers and friends waiting outside, these teens will drink in the streets around the area and, as they have done on previous occasions, thrown and discarded their bottles, cans and food wrapping away leaving broken glass etc. littering the roads and paths in the area which in the mornings are used by school children (Bridlewood School) and dog walkers alkie.

This license should not be permitted for the above reasons. The pub is already very well used and is profitable. This new venture is being pursued by the owners simply to gain more profit. If permitted it is inevitable that many local residents will put their houses up for sale; they have suffered loud noises for years from this pub and the expected even louder noise outdoors for even longer will make it unbearable. The elderly residents of Blunsdon Court Care Home will also seek a quieter home elsewhere. In our assessment, this application is nothing less than for a glorified outdoor off license.

Regards

Vince Williams

Chair of St Andrews Parish Council Planning committee

Vera Thomlinson

Chair of St Andrews Parish Council