THE public are being consulted over the opening hours of a popular Colwyn Bay pub before a beer garden is built.
The Picture House was granted permission at a planning meeting in October for the new beer garden on land adjacent to the pub at 24-26 Princes Drive.
The beer garden will feature a covered area with stalls, heat lamps, and tables and chairs. A fenced area will include a separate section for bins and recycling.
But J.D Wetherspoons has now applied to Conwy County Council’s licensing department, seeking permission to open Sundays – Thursdays from 7 am until 1.30 am and 7 am until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Whilst the pub already has permission to open during those hours, a pub spokesman explained the chain was required to reapply in relation to the opening hours of the outdoor area.
“We are not applying for any extension to the current opening hours of the pub,” said the spokesman.
“The opening hours stated on the council’s website are those currently allowed by the premises licence which the application form required us to provide. We do not currently operate to the full extent of those hours.”
He added: “The application is for consent to create an additional outside customer area to the side of the pub with a small covered area. Subject to the necessary permissions being obtained, we hope to start the work in February next year.”
Wetherspoon’s licensing application follows Sheldons Café Bar on nearby Penrhyn Road also being granted permission for an extension to their licence this autumn.
Sheldons can now open until 12 am – and until 1 am on New Year’s Eve – but the café owners say they only plan to use the extension of hours for private parties.
“We are now licensed to open from 8 am until 12 am seven days a week, but we only applied for the licence so we can open for private functions,” said café owner Jen Spindley.