Council considers whether to give go-ahead to new Melton town centre pub

We reported last summer that BeerHeadz wanted to take over the lease for 7 King Street, which is one of the oldest buildings in the town with parts dating back almost 700 years.

The company, which plans to open a micro pub concept bar selling non-mainstream beers, has now applied to Melton Council for a Premises Licence, which will be determined by members of the licensing panel on January 23.

In a report to go before councillors, the applicants say the pub would be open from 10am to 1.30am seven days a week.

They state: “It will be a quiet pub; a destination for discerning beer drinkers who do not mind paying a premium and like to enjoy their drink in a relaxing environment.

“BeerHeadZ will have no Juke box, pool table, TVs or gaming machines.”

The site falls into an area covered by the council’s ‘cumulative impact policy’ which protects against too many licensed premises operating in close proximity in the town centre.

A report to go before the panel asks members to consider the effects of the new pub opening in the town centre. It states: “Within this area there are a significant number of licensed premises, and although these have staggered closing times it still leaves large numbers of people on the streets late at night.

“The licensing authority takes the view that the principle problem is caused by the number of people attending licensed premises in the area where there is movement from these properties and to and from the hot food takeaways.”

It adds: “It will be for the applicant to demonstrate that the premises will not add to the existing cumulative impact.”

A public consultation into the proposals for the new pub was held before Christmas but no representations were made before it closed on December 22.

BeerHeadZ already operates three similar establishments in the region, all of which have won awards - Just Beer at Newark, BeerHeadZ Retford and BeerHeadZ Grantham.

In their application for a premises licence, the company says: “We have had a combined total of 11 years’ operations without a single incident.

“BeerHeadZ is a serious business, run by responsible operators.”

The building has been predominantly used for retail, with it latterly housing a toy shop, although it was once the location of the town’s tourist information bureau.

It retains its Edwardian shop frontage and was unoccupied for 15 years until being restored by Melton Council, with Heritage Lottery Funding help, in 2004.