Pub wins in dispute over marquee

A determined licensee has been victorious in a year-long fight with his local council to keep a marquee, used as a changing room by the pub's football teams.

Ian Miller, a tenant at the Thwaites-owned Village Tavern, in Hanley, Staffordshire, had his appeal to keep the marquee upheld by the government's planning inspectorate.

Stoke City Council had originally ordered it be pulled down, after denying the licensee planning permission to keep the eight metre by three metre structure.

The council had said the £400 marquee looked like an "eyesore" from the side of the road.

However Ian was persuaded by his regulars to appeal the decision - with around 380 people signing a petition calling for the marquee to stay.

Ian said: "I've had the support of the local people and I'm absolutely chuffed for the lads."

"It was quite petty of the council as the lads would have had to get changed in the pub, which causes a mess."

A government planning inspector acknowledged the marquee had an "adverse visual impact", but he added: "In this instance I believe the retention of the marquee would contribute to the delivery of other, broader government objectives, including promoting social inclusion and community adhesion, and health and well being."