Residents angered after pub gets late extensions (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Residents angered after pub gets late extensions

DESPONDENT Malmesbury residents are facing disturbance late into the night after the Smoking Dog pub was granted an extension to its alcohol licence.

The pub, on the High Street, applied to be allowed to sell alcohol until midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Manager of the pub, Martin Bridge, agreed to concede the midnight closing on a Thursday as one resident had complained about noise generated by wheeled bins being put out after closing time on that night.

North Wiltshire District Council's licensing committee granted the extensions for Friday and Saturday nights at a hearing on Monday.

The council specified a condition, which Mr Bridge put forward, that the pub's garden must be vacated by 11pm after residents said too much noise was coming from there.

Stephen Ellison, who also lives on the High Street, said: "Overall, I was disappointed with the decision. I thought it was positive that Martin, the landlord, had offered various concessions, but I think some of them didn't address the underlying concerns, in particular noise at the front and rear of the pub.

"But I'm sure there's things for us to do. I think the first thing is to take up Martin on his offer to have some consultation meetings with us and hopefully that can address some of the concerns in more detail."