‘Mini-Glastonbury’ fears over pub’s renovation

Worried residents have raised concerns about a pub’s plan to open later and play music until the early hours saying the village does not want or need a “mini-Glastonbury”.

Major brewers Greene King have revealed plans to refurbish the Crown Inn in Hallow near Worcester including a bigger bar and toilets as well as to transform the garden and outdoor seating areas with a new covered pergola and pods for alfresco dining.

The brewery has also put forward plans to open until 3am and play live and recorded music until 2am which residents fear will wreak havoc in the quiet village.

One objector in the village said: “Hallow is a quiet ‘dark’ village and the proposal to have outdoor live music – with associated lighting – will destroy that let alone impacting severely on the close neighbours.

“There is no place in a rural village for a mini-Glastonbury.”

Dozens of objections have been raised by neighbours in Hallow including by one couple, who have lived near to the pub for 33 years, who say “enough is enough” over the planned expansion to the garden and outdoor facilities.

Villagers in Hallow have also said the proposed renovation and extra tables will bring more cars to the pub that the car park does not have space for.

One objector in Shoulton Lane said allowing live music to be played until the early hours was inappropriate for a village pub.

“Hallow is a quiet, dark sky, rural village and an establishment that can play live music until the early hours of the morning is inappropriate,” the objection said.

“This will cause a nuisance for the wider village community as sound travels.

“People leaving after an alcohol fuelled night tend to linger, talking loudly and have little respect for the neighbours, extending the hours of business will increase this occurrence.”

Plans for the pub also include a new extension to the back of the grade II-listed pub to house the expanded bar and provide space for 29 more covers with the pub’s outdoor bar demolished and a large Manna Ash tree cut down to make way for the proposed work.

Outdoor seating will be moved to a different part of the pub’s garden with new hedges and fencing put in place.

The Crown Inn was run by Will and Sacha Donaldson for more than a decade but the lease, which ran out in February, was not renewed by landlords Greene King.

The plans can be viewed via the planning section of Malvern Hills District Council’s website.

Public consultation on the plan ends on May 25.