A COMPANY which leases pubs has applied to reopen The Rising Sun with live music performances, sparking backlash from neighbours.
As previously reported, The Wellington Pub Company submitted a new premises licence application to Winchester City Council to re-open the pub in Bridge Street.
The application is for permission to play live and recorded music and supply alcohol between 11am and midnight from Monday to Thursday, 11am to 1am on Friday and Saturday and 11am to 11.30pm on Sunday.
Eight objections have been received, with neighbours and businesses raising concerns about the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and public nuisance.
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Mark Seales, director of Cytronex, based across the road from the Rising Sun on Bridge Street, said that the pub was a “bad neighbour” in the past, accusing customers of criminal damage and disorderly conduct.
In a written objection to the council, he said: “I regret to say that the Rising Sun was a very bad neighbour to our business over a number of years and I don’t say that lightly because I fully respect others running a small business, as I do myself.
“But the fact is that most businesses do not cause problems like this for other businesses, and it cannot be right that I should have to live with the stress of not knowing when I will be called out at night next, or back from holiday as a result of criminal damage, disorder or general public nuisance caused by customers of the Rising Sun.”
Gregory Konneker, of St Johns Street, objected: “We have lived with the previous two incarnations of the pub and are not looking forward to a third.
“With the lack of parking, the isolated location away from the town centre and in a mostly residential area it is unlikely that any new owner will be able to make it a profitable enterprise.
“We've had problems with the pub playing music (both live and recorded) and it cannot be muted enough even with the windows closed to not disturb the local residents several hundred meters away.
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“To think that they want to keep the pub open even later into the night makes the situation even worse to contemplate.”
Colin Webster, also of St John’s Street, wrote: “The lateness of the proposed drinking hours leads to the greater likelihood of excess noise in the neighbourhood from drinkers and tobacco smokers leading up to and after closing time.
“It’s neither joke nor joy to be kept awake in the early hours.”
The application will be heard by Winchester City Council’s licensing sub-committee on Tuesday, March 26 at 10am.
The Rising Sun closed in September last year due to overwhelming costs of gas, electricity, stock and reduced trade, caused by the cost of living crisis.
Rob Punton, who was the pub's landlord for 10 years, said at the time: “Unfortunately, the economic bite has finally got the better of us. With the inflated Gas and Electricity prices as well as constant price increases from suppliers (resulting in higher retail prices) and ultimately meaning reduced trade we simply can't afford to go on any longer.”
Prior to closing, the pub reduced its opening hours from June in an attempt to cut costs.
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