The pub was turned down permission to maintain the marquee by Swansea Council however appealed and has now acquired the ruling from a planning inspector
A pub landlady in Swansea has gained a planning attraction to maintain a marquee for an additional three years and mentioned “a shiny new one” would take its place within the spring. Becky Floyd appealed after Swansea Council turned down her software to retain the marquee at The Railway Inn, Killay – a pub the council owns.
Her software to the authority mentioned the marquee, which was put up in 2020 throughout Covid, had been “pivotal in our survival of the pandemic and past” and was repeatedly utilized in winter and summer season.
Council planning officers mentioned non permanent buildings just like the marquee “provide little or no aesthetically” and that whereas they appreciated the necessity for extra seating areas they thought-about there had been ample time for a extra everlasting resolution to have been sought.
The officers’ report mentioned the applicant had suggested {that a} extra everlasting construction would come at nice expense and that they did not personal the pub, however added: “However this, it doesn’t outweigh the visible hurt brought on by the marquee and the precedent it may set for different public homes to erect comparable buildings on their premises within the foreseeable future.” By no means miss a Swansea story by signing as much as our publication right here
Mrs Floyd appealed the refusal, saying the marquee enabled the pub to repeatedly rent musicians to play in it and was additionally utilized by non-patrons resembling strolling teams.
“The marquee is important to the viability of this long-standing group asset and its non permanent retention needs to be granted,” mentioned her attraction assertion.
“On condition that the pub is council-owned, it’s within the public curiosity to help a profitable, self-sustaining enterprise somewhat than threat shedding a group facility.”
Greater than 90 individuals supported her attraction, and a Welsh Authorities-appointed planning inspector has now upheld it, concluding that the marquee did not seem visually intrusive or misplaced and had a minimal impact on the favored shared-use path operating alongside. Concerning the setting of precedent, the inspector mentioned “it will be uncommon for the circumstances of some other growth to be precisely the identical”.
A message posted on The Railway Inn’s Fb web page mentioned the pub was very happy with the result and thanked everybody who’d written in on its behalf in regards to the marquee, including, “we’ll be getting a shiny new one within the spring”.
The pub dates from 1864 and was actual ale marketing campaign group Swansea Camra’s pub of the 12 months in 2025.
The marketing campaign group described it as “a bastion of actual ale in Swansea with a powerful following of devoted locals, in addition to followers who go to from far and broad to pattern the pub’s quirky charms”.
Folks having fun with a drink on the pub on December 19 have been happy with the attraction choice.
Julie Davies mentioned: “The marquee’s nice for music in the summertime and autumn. It is good for the pub, and I like being open air.” A person sitting outdoors mentioned of the marquee: “All of the regulars get pleasure from it.”
