A HISTORIC and recently reopened pub at the Lea has won its battle to serve drinks outdoors.

A neighbour had objected to the bid by the refurbished Crown Inn to license its garden bar till 10pm, due to concerns over noise.

Extensive correspondence between the neighbour and the inn’s management failed to produce a mutually acceptable arrangement.

As a result, Herefordshire Council’s licensing subcommittee, which had granted a licence to the main premises in March, then had to rule separately on the bar proposal.

Ben Savidge, son of the inn’s owners Rose and Mark, told councillors the bar would ease pressure on the main bar, and allow faster service for guests.

Since reopening in April, “The Crown has been a huge success, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from locals and visitors alike”, including from near neighbours. Varying the licence would enable it to take on more staff, he said.

“We have worked closely with neighbours to keep everyone happy,” by turning off outdoor speakers by 10pm and closing the upper garden area by 9pm, he added.

The publicans have committed the Crown Inn will remain as a classic country pub and will not be playing live music except on special occasions.

To now permit the outdoor bar until 10pm “would be more than fair”, Mr Savidge maintained.

The pub has already stopped serving customers an hour before the official closing time, to allow their gradual, phased exit.

However, the sole complainant did not address the committee – which its chairman Cllr Polly Andrews found ‘disappointing’.

Acknowledging the inn’s efforts to engage with the community, she said the committee agreed the application to vary the licence should be granted.

The ‘Summer Bar’ is now expected to open next month, selling stone-baked pizzas as well as beer, ciders and cocktails.