Plans to cordon off a large section of the Market Place for a new open air bar will be put to the test at a council planning meeting tomorrow.
Snooty Fox landlord Matt Castle is asking for permission to rope off a 30 sq ft section of the former car park, and put up a 12 foot tall canopy to cover half the space.
Town planners have over-ridden a string of objections from Newbury Town Council, and West Berkshire Council’s own conservation officer and are recommending that councillors back the plans.
As with all other open-air outlets, plastic cutlery will be the order of the day, unless you are eating a steak, when you can have a steak knife. And bottles are banned in favour of polycarbonate glasses. Council officials also demand that every item of furniture is individually approved before granting permission.
Mr Castle is planning to use staff from the Snooty Fox in Barthlomew Street to serve food and drinks via the Arcade, before crossing the bus and taxi route.
The Berkshire Tavern and Document House have struggled to get more modest open-air plans past planners, and Mr Castle had to wait 5 months to get the materials approved.
The Market Place has been a huge source of embarrassment for West Berkshire Council since it ordered a £830,000 revamp. The taxi rank was moved outside Barclays before police complained that it was confusing for through traffic, so the council moved it back.
Rising bollards in Wharf Street have sparked outrage after impaling 25 vehicles, costing nearly as much to repair as they did to install. Kebab van operators have complained of loss of income since they were banished to the Wharf, and the number of people visiting the Market Place was down 20% compared to before and after the revamp.
After the project was curtailed in late 2007 – the resurfacing was supposed to stretch to the Post Office entrance – the Christmas lights switch-on that year was heavily criticised for lack of public safety. Meanwhile, the Dogs Trust has been campaigning for kerbs to be reinstated after complaints from blind shoppers, and in the last few weeks, major cracks have appeared to the new surface.
Meanwhile, the Dogs Trust has been campaigning for kerbs to be reinstated after complaints from blind shoppers, and in the last few weeks, major cracks have appeared to the new surface.
The Dogs Trust???? Got our mutt from them.
Can't say as this sounds that wonderful - canopy (permanent I assume), plastic cutlery and 'glasses'. Space heaters as well? At least the place may be a little less deserted. Will it be there on market days?
Why don't they let the kebab van back in the evening!
So the council spent £1.25m so that some pub landlord can have somewhere for his drunks to smoke in a town centre in which public consumption of alcohol was formerly banned? You couldn't make it up.
Don't you like the Market Place Admin? I think it looks nice.
I think the Sahara Desert looks nice but I don't think it fits in Newbury town centre. The problem is that the Market Place is now used simply as a transit route when the market isn't using it and is now an unused wasteland. It really is a shame that it doesn't have a reason for use anymore. At least as it was when parking was allowed it had activity and a purpose. Maybe with the new applications it might be better.
Yes, West Berkshire Council spent around £1,000,000.00 of tax payers money on a new road surface. I thought the area looked fine immediately prior to the resurfacing.
Yes, West Berkshire Council spent around £1,000,000.00 of tax payers money on a new road surface. I thought the area looked fine immediately prior to the resurfacing.
Yay! This again. I so missed people moaning about the Market Place. After this it must be time for a whinge about the bollards again, surely?
So the council spent £1.25m so that some pub landlord can have somewhere for his drunks to smoke in a town centre in which public consumption of alcohol was formerly banned? You couldn't make it up.
I think this is a test case to make it easier for other venues to use the market place for the purpose the council pushed it through on - continental dining - they seem to have changed their minds a little.
Are you saying all drunks are smokers, or all smokers drunks? Does this mean as a tee total, non smoker I cant get a steak?
I think the Sahara Desert looks nice but I don't think it fits in Newbury town centre. The problem is that the Market Place is now used simply as a transit route when the market isn't using it and is now an unused wasteland. It really is a shame that it doesn't have a reason for use anymore. At least as it was when parking was allowed it had activity and a purpose. Maybe with the new applications it might be better.
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