Park Gate pub under fire after complaints about noise and broken bottles reaches compromise on garden opening hours

A PUB in Park Gate has reached a compromise with residents over plans to keep its garden open late into the night – after residents spoke out about noisy customers and broken bottles littered across the area.
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The landlord of the Sir Joseph Paxton pub, in Hunts Pond Road, had applied to push back the closing time of the pub garden from 9pm to 11pm and to host live music and a bouncy castle for special events.

The application to Fareham Borough Council generated more than 10 objections from residents, who said they had to wear ear defenders in order to sleep through the commotion created by noisy pub patrons.

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Over the past five years, noise complaints have caused council officers to visit the pub more than 45 times, with noise abatement notices closing the garden at 9pm since 2018.

Sir Joseph Paxton pub in Hunts Pond Road, Park Gate.

Picture: Sarah Standing (150920-4012)Sir Joseph Paxton pub in Hunts Pond Road, Park Gate.

Picture: Sarah Standing (150920-4012)
Sir Joseph Paxton pub in Hunts Pond Road, Park Gate. Picture: Sarah Standing (150920-4012)

One resident of nearby Wellow Gardens said: ‘We do not want a repeat of previous noise issues...shouting, swearing, screaming.

‘These issues have prevented our daughters from sleeping – they have had to either sleep on our bedroom floor at the front of the house or try to go to sleep wearing industrial ear defenders.’

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The resident added: ‘Recently there were bottles smashed at the entrance of the house on Hunts Pond Road, next to Wellow Gardens.

Sir Joseph Paxton pub in Hunts Pond Road, Park Gate.

Picture: Sarah Standing (150920-4013)Sir Joseph Paxton pub in Hunts Pond Road, Park Gate.

Picture: Sarah Standing (150920-4013)
Sir Joseph Paxton pub in Hunts Pond Road, Park Gate. Picture: Sarah Standing (150920-4013)
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‘In the past we have had to clear broken bottles and glasses at the entrance of Wellow Gardens on a regular basis. Bottles have also been found in our garden on occasion.’

Last week the landlord, Dave Roseby, met residents to discuss their concerns, leading to a compromise on the application whereby the pub garden will remain open until 11pm just four times a year, with music on these dates finishing at 7pm.

The landlord said he had sound-proofed the pub and plans to use the garden’s extended hours for fundraiser days in aid of The Alex Wardle Foundation, which was set up in memory of the Lee-on-Solent resident and pub patron who suffered sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.

The amendments represented a ‘quite considerable’ compromise, according to Councillor Mike Ford, chairman of the licensing and regulatory affairs committee.

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He said: ‘Credit (is) due to both the applicant and the residents for their pragmatic approach.

‘I hope that this changes the relationship between them.’

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