Pub is ordered to axe new facilities (From Daily Echo)
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The Testwood pub in Totton is ordered to axe new facilities
1:00pm Wednesday 30th May 2012 in Food News
By Chris Yandell, Chief Reporter, New Forest
The Testwood
PUB bosses are battling to save a six-figure improvement scheme that has transformed a Hampshire watering hole.
Managers at Greene King are fighting an enforcement notice instructing them to demolish new facilities at The Testwood pub in Salisbury Road, Totton.
Major alterations were made without planning permission, including the provision of a timber-framed shelter housing an outdoor dining area.
Members of New Forest District Council rejected a retrospective application after people living near the pub complained about noise, extra traffic and light pollution.
Speaking at the time, Councillor Pat Wyeth said: “I’m absolutely horrified to see that The Testwood has done all this without permission.
“Pub chains can’t just walk roughshod over people who live near their premises.”
Councillor George Dart added: “The applicant has treated this authority – and the local residents – with complete contempt.”
Planning officers recommended that the committee approve the work, claiming the council could resolve any problems caused by The Testwood. But councillors ignored their advice and rejected the application.
Greene King, which owns the pub, was subsequently served with an enforcement notice instructing it to remove all the unauthorised new facilities.
The notice said people living nearby would be forced to endure unacceptable levels of noise unless the alterations were reversed.
Now Greene King has lodged an appeal, saying the new-look pub is not causing harm.
It also claims that the enforcement notice is invalid because it was not signed by the council’s head of legal services, Grainne O’Rourke.
A Greene King spokesman said: “An appeal has been lodged because we believe our customers have greatly benefited from the improvements to this popular pub.”
Comments(41)
crabbit
says...
1:51pm Wed 30 May 12
Especially those with children who shouldn't have to listen to the Effing and Cing, that sometimes can be clearly heard, in their own gardens
Maine Lobster
says...
1:56pm Wed 30 May 12
Walter K
says...
2:21pm Wed 30 May 12
Can't speak from personal experience re this particular establishment but IMO, most of these outside spaces (which generally were frequented by families with young children) have now been ruined by the volume of smokers.
bigfella777
says...
2:25pm Wed 30 May 12
Huffter
says...
2:43pm Wed 30 May 12
bigfella777 wrote:Why live next to a sewage farm if you don't like ****?
Why live next to a pub if you dont like noise? Wierdos.
Huffter
says...
2:45pm Wed 30 May 12
Walter K wrote:What makes smokers noisier than anyone else?
Rules are rules even if you are a large Pub Chain. Can't speak from personal experience re this particular establishment but IMO, most of these outside spaces (which generally were frequented by families with young children) have now been ruined by the volume of smokers.
dc4306
says...
2:54pm Wed 30 May 12
Goldenwight
says...
2:57pm Wed 30 May 12
This is a very simple story- large company undertakes extensive work illegally then bleats when it is asked to put it right. Hardly newsworthy at all.
Shoong
says...
3:03pm Wed 30 May 12
Huffter wrote:I'm a noisy smoker.
Walter K wrote:What makes smokers noisier than anyone else?
Rules are rules even if you are a large Pub Chain. Can't speak from personal experience re this particular establishment but IMO, most of these outside spaces (which generally were frequented by families with young children) have now been ruined by the volume of smokers.
When I exhale I like to let out a mighty 'Roooaarrr' so I look & feel like a dragon.
It scares children and annoys anti-smoking Nazis in one fell swoop.
Huffter
says...
3:11pm Wed 30 May 12
dc4306 wrote:The issue is what you can HEAR, not what you can SEE.
As far as I am aware this pub has been here for years and has always had a garden, so cant see that a few alterations makes any difference
SouthernGirl91
says...
3:31pm Wed 30 May 12
Stellarussel
says...
3:46pm Wed 30 May 12
The new manager is doing such a great job and has turned the Testwood around so much !
If the neighbours want this taken down they will no doubt get the old Testwood back and all the trouble
Neighbours have nothing else better to do then moan !!
Don't live next to a pub if you don't like it !!
The pub has probably been there longer than a lot of you !
VoiceofM
says...
3:52pm Wed 30 May 12
SouthernGirl91 wrote:Totally agree that the company should have got planning permission. But as someone who has viisted that pub for years, i cannot believe the noise would have increased. As for the swearing being overheard...ever since that pub has been rufurbished, the amount of trouble caused by it has been next to none. The garden has always been there, and its not causing any visual pollution because it looks a lot better than it was. I agree the company should get planning permission, but for anyone who hasn't been there since its rufurbishment, i would strongly urge you to do so. We finally get somewhere a bit different in totton and you want them to tear it down. After being usher in around 10 oclock in the evening, atleast the staff are trying.
Garuntee 90% of people complaining haven't given any thought to those who will lose their jobs if the new parts are taken down...
Agree with southerngirl91's comment. When times are at their toughest, taking the new parts down would surely lead to less business for not only the pub, but totton generally, causing several job losses. More traffic? When has Salisbury Road ever been a quiet road?
VoiceofM
says...
3:56pm Wed 30 May 12
Walter K wrote:Im not a smoker, but surely the large volume of smokers outside was caused by the fact that the ban meant every HAD to go outside. As far as i know its a legal requirement to have a designated area for smoking. I never really understood the problem with smoking inside. I think its a dirty habit, but in an establishment that sells alcohol, it seems a little hypocritical.
Rules are rules even if you are a large Pub Chain.
Can't speak from personal experience re this particular establishment but IMO, most of these outside spaces (which generally were frequented by families with young children) have now been ruined by the volume of smokers.
legod7
says...
4:01pm Wed 30 May 12
The Phantomerer
says...
4:20pm Wed 30 May 12
tootle
says...
4:21pm Wed 30 May 12
loosehead
says...
4:30pm Wed 30 May 12
They should have had planning permission so if it's only a wood structure take it down apply for permission if given re-erect it
Georgem
says...
4:45pm Wed 30 May 12
bigfella777 wrote:Says the guy who lives in a CITY CENTRE and complains about the lack of peace and quiet.
Why live next to a pub if you dont like noise? Wierdos.
Georgem
says...
4:51pm Wed 30 May 12
loosehead wrote:Easy enough to say that, lh, but pubs sometimes change from being quiet, to being noisy. We lived next to a pub for quite a long time with no problems. We checked it out beforehand, and the pub was inaudible. Then it changed owners, and suddenly we had loud music vibrating our house until 1am, fights in our driveway, endless rubbish and furniture - no, really - being thrown into our garden, all sorts of problems that we hadn't seen before. So I don't think it's quite fair to simply say "don't live near a pub".
Never been to the pub but if you don't like a building/company /football club etc; don't move near it.
They should have had planning permission so if it's only a wood structure take it down apply for permission if given re-erect it
geoff51
says...
4:52pm Wed 30 May 12
We must do anything to rid Totton of its poor image and this goes a long way to help.
Is it because of the moaning minies that live near that this objection has been raised? If you dont like it why did you buy a home near a pub?
They could have left it looking like a scruffy dump like The Players in Water Lane.
The pub trade is struggling and for the owners to invest that amount of money in improvements shows that they have faith in the future of the Testwood, we should applaud them for that
Stellarussel
says...
4:59pm Wed 30 May 12
If you are a neighbour of the Testwood I suggest you go in and meet the new manager and take a look at the new Testwood ! The garden area is not causing any harm at all I'm sure if you had any problems and spoke to the manager he would gladly discuss your problems !
As comments have said already jobs would be lost and it would go back to being that dirty grotty pub that the Testwood use to be.
There is more to worry about in life then trying to make other people's lives a misery just because of a garden !
solents
says...
5:14pm Wed 30 May 12
As for the anti brigade, then I am local to the pub, and before it was altered there was a climbing frame and facilities for children to play outside which no longer exists. Surely this has helped reduce noise up to the watershed at least. A pub garden is there to be used, and in this case has always been there so to the neighbours who bought their properties next to it then I'm afraid it's tough. Maybe 20yrs ago adults had more caution about swearing in public, maybe times have changed and now it's more audible. But there have always been people using the garden at this pub for as long as I can remember so as far as I can see then that aspect has not changed.
Solomon's Boot
says...
5:15pm Wed 30 May 12
Maine Lobster wrote:Couldn't agree more. Why should there be one rule for Greene King and another for the rest of us?
Greene King only have themselves to blame. Those responsible for bypassing the planning rules ought to be held accountable. Planning regulations are there for a purpose. You ignore them at your peril.
Too bad!!
Huey
says...
5:49pm Wed 30 May 12
they tried to break the rules
now look at them
having to take it all down
heheheheheh
have you learned your lesson greene king?
rednwhite42
says...
7:01pm Wed 30 May 12
The Wickham Man
says...
7:23pm Wed 30 May 12
I wonder how much noise and mess the neighbours will endure when it is all knocked down again? And then rebuilt again? And how many neighbours exactly? one? two?
we had a moronic Liberal dumb o'crap (not elected thank God) who was campaigning to stop a coffee shop being opened in a shopping centre! And what did he want to see open instead? Nothing!
loosehead
says...
9:17pm Wed 30 May 12
Georgem wrote:georgem I know the Landlady of the Mountbatten in Lordshill.
loosehead wrote:Easy enough to say that, lh, but pubs sometimes change from being quiet, to being noisy. We lived next to a pub for quite a long time with no problems. We checked it out beforehand, and the pub was inaudible. Then it changed owners, and suddenly we had loud music vibrating our house until 1am, fights in our driveway, endless rubbish and furniture - no, really - being thrown into our garden, all sorts of problems that we hadn't seen before. So I don't think it's quite fair to simply say "don't live near a pub".
Never been to the pub but if you don't like a building/company /football club etc; don't move near it.
They should have had planning permission so if it's only a wood structure take it down apply for permission if given re-erect it
she turfed out all the yobs & underage drinkers & gets an older clientele in there now but it still has people blaming them for trouble or the kids hanging around with cans.
she has proven they buy them from Sainsbury & she doesn't sell that type of beer but still she gets the blame.
A retired Police officer moved opposite the Shield & Dagger in Shirley then tried getting it shut.
This pub serves food attracts a lot of older clientele & families so I can't believe it's that noisy
The only reason to moan should be the building work without planning
RealTalkSouthampton
says...
7:25am Thu 31 May 12
ing,etc) yet their seems to be a minority have very loud anti-creative voices or just not on my doorstep attitude.
Most articles posted on these forums with the exception of southampton fc, if positive have a bunch of moaners.
WHITEE1987
says...
7:35am Thu 31 May 12
wibblet
says...
10:23am Thu 31 May 12
WHITEE1987 wrote:Wow, someones bitter about having a development built near their house! Just wondering...
The planning permission was rejected because the neighbours opposed it. If no one had objected then they would have got the permission albeit after the building. Neighbours are using the noise as an excuse and swearing and violence as an excuse. You think its bad there come down the farmhouse on a Friday night now the new manager has taken over. We get all the little scrotes back who were previously banned. Swearing and fighting is a common occurence. But hey funnily enough dont read of any complaints do ya. The professional panning officers as someone calls em allowed yet another budget slap dash development on the old BAT site which is at the bottom of my garden. They built a shoddy excuse for a new clubhouse and put flats and houses up that will be falling to pieces in the next year. All this on a football pitch in use by a local team, yea they moved em to a new ground. However this ground has crap facilities and is at loggerheads with the local town team on a regular basis. When are people just going to learn that the sytem in f****d and back handers go along way with people in positions of power.
a) what this has to do with the Testwood pub?
b) have you even been in the "shoddy" built houses?
I live in one of these "shoddy" built houses and i can assure you they are not going to fall down in the next year! They are actually very nice and me, my wife and daughter love living in it, and driving past the new cricket pitch every day. Infact the only problem we get are from two houses that back onto ours from the existing developments, these are two (expensive) houses with owners who should know better ranting over a stupid fence.... Quite comical really!
Howdy neighbour!
loosehead
says...
12:28pm Thu 31 May 12
WHITEE1987 wrote:Being an ex BAT employee I can tell you many R&D employees of BAT & all the associated sports clubs didn't want that development but with no longer having a Production facility BAT were determined to get the best price for that site.
The planning permission was rejected because the neighbours opposed it. If no one had objected then they would have got the permission albeit after the building. Neighbours are using the noise as an excuse and swearing and violence as an excuse. You think its bad there come down the farmhouse on a Friday night now the new manager has taken over. We get all the little scrotes back who were previously banned. Swearing and fighting is a common occurence. But hey funnily enough dont read of any complaints do ya. The professional panning officers as someone calls em allowed yet another budget slap dash development on the old BAT site which is at the bottom of my garden. They built a shoddy excuse for a new clubhouse and put flats and houses up that will be falling to pieces in the next year. All this on a football pitch in use by a local team, yea they moved em to a new ground. However this ground has crap facilities and is at loggerheads with the local town team on a regular basis. When are people just going to learn that the sytem in f****d and back handers go along way with people in positions of power.
As for the Testwood if they had a load of people playing Petanque or lawn bowls out in the garden would these neighbours be complaining still?
cliffwalker
says...
12:51pm Thu 31 May 12
Stellarussel
says...
1:10pm Thu 31 May 12
cliffwalker wrote:Actually they do not allow smoking in any of this area as they have a smoking area, also young children are not even allowed to play ball in the garden anymore due to neighbours moaning!
The "outdoor dining area" is, in effect just an extended smoking zone. Many pubs have built similar extensions to comply with the regulations but still allow smoking while drinking. GK have just gone a little bit too far with this one.
This is a pub ! Where family's like to go and have a nice meal and a drink in the beer garden on a nice hot day ! And it's not being allowed to do this !!
Feel sorry for the neighbours living next to the farmhouse ! As they have the police there all the time with fights and people getting glassed !
These neighbours need to read these comments ! Yes greene king did wrong by not asking permission but if they take it down they are only have to ask for it and it would be granted so it would be put up again ! After all this hassle over a few moaning neighbours !
This country is getting worse and worse by the day !! And people need to realise things are changing and they have to get over it !
For the neighbours Well....you should get over it ! go in meet the new manager and the staff and see how well they are actually doing and see What the pub is like, you might actually like it then you will see how stupid you all have been ! That's if you can face showing your faces after these poor people may loose there jobs and Totton would loose a great place to eat !
eurogordi
says...
3:21pm Thu 31 May 12
There has always been a garden area which was once full of children's play equipment and regularly used for outdoor parties. Why has the garden suddenly become a problem?
As far as the extension work, if you study planning rules there is permitted and non-permitted development and I personally believe that Greene King has worked within what is permitted.
Permitted development does not always require planning permission - at least, that's what I was told by NFDC when I complained that a neighbour had converted an integral garage into living accommodation without formal permission, even though the change of use has had a negative impact on parking in the area and the front of the garage extends beyond the original building.
I live near The Testwood and have not experienced any of the problems that other residents are supposedly enduring every day. I am, however, extremely cynical that Mrs Edith "Busy Body" Randall. a former councillor, lives opposite and has been determined to destroy The Testwood ever since Greene King took over the site.
BenjiWinsor
says...
7:45pm Thu 31 May 12
kylemay12
says...
7:53am Sun 3 Jun 12
Walter K wrote:Walter K may I point out that public houses originally were over 18 venues for adults only and NOT a play area for children. Why any parent would want to take their child into a pub amongst drunks is beyond me. Its the likes of you that has destroyed pubs. If you wish to eat out then go to a restaurant. As for smokers ruining your pleasure of sitting outside in a public house you only have yourselves to blame as it was you imbeciles who wanted the ban. Its ok to teach your children to drink but good god dont smoke ! Laughable really considering alcohol causes more problems. As for testwood pub, if you dont like it then blame the smoking ban as its this farce that has moved the rowdy drinker outside. Children should not be allowed in pubs
Rules are rules even if you are a large Pub Chain.
Can't speak from personal experience re this particular establishment but IMO, most of these outside spaces (which generally were frequented by families with young children) have now been ruined by the volume of smokers.
chelsealiam
says...
10:34pm Tue 5 Jun 12
allmove4ward2geva
says...
1:57pm Thu 7 Jun 12
dadofmy3sons
says...
1:02pm Sun 17 Jun 12
BUT
the nimbys live here as well !
that is the problem the Testwood faces, some people just can not live without complaining !
Usually a minority and they make more noise and fuss than the majority, so they usually get their way.
Get a life you miserable so+so's , try visiting a few other pubs then go to the Testwood and realise just how lucky you are that the people running it are trying really hard to improve the quality of life for their customers, your neighbours. Unlike yourselves who are just trying to ruin anything you do not use yourself !
Taskforce 141 says...
1:37pm Wed 30 May 12
It looks good.
any noise or ASB issues can be addressed if they persist...