Brewery says mini-Wetherspoons claims are ridiculous

A brewery has hit back at “ridiculous” claims that its planned taproom would be a “mini-Wetherspoons”, saying the long licensing hours are so it can sell beer online.

Malvern Hills Brewery’s Frances Casey said the request for permission to sell alcohol 14 hours-a-day in its new taproom was so it could sell its beer online.

The brewery, based in West Malvern Road, was granted planning permission for a taproom next to its main brewery in November and has now applied to Malvern Hills District Council for permission to sell alcohol between 8am and 10pm every day.

She said: “It is simply untrue to suggest the taproom will be open all day, the extended hours are only to cover the legalities of selling the brewery’s beers online.

“Moreover, it is ridiculous to suggest such a small and limited operation can be compared to Wetherspoons.

“Finally, it needs to be noted that none of the immediate neighbours that live in the adjoining four terraced houses to the taproom have objected to our licence application.

“This proposal does enjoy considerable local support.”

Worcestershire Regulatory Services confirmed longer licensing hours were required to sell beer online.

Nine objections have been raised against the brewery’s bid for an alcohol licence with many saying parking and congestion was already dangerous and attracting more people to West Malvern Road would only make it even worse.

Objector Andy Wood said he did not want a “mini-Wetherspoons” on his doorstep.

He said: “Along its entire length, wrapping around the hills, West Malvern Road is massively residential street. It is not a suitable location for something that is akin to a typical Wetherspoons, with early morning opening and late-night closing.

“I have to say I am somewhat staggered that the applicant has gone for such extensive hours, especially since, over a fairly drawn out planning permission process for the pub, absolutely none of this ever came out.

“The stated hours in the planning permission were ‘only’ a couple of weekday evenings and weekends. Even these hours are unacceptable to me, since they will, undoubtedly, still cause increased public nuisance.

“But to have consumption of alcohol all day, every day, is just going to encourage excessive drunken behaviour near parked cars and peoples’ houses.”

West Mercia Police raised no objection to the plan.

Malvern Hills District Council’s licensing subcommittee meets tomorrow (January 21) to make a decision.