A pub landlord has hit out at his local council after being ordered to tear down a beer garden shelter - potentially costing him £8,000.
Paul Dean, 48, has worked tirelessly over the past 18 months to transform the Alexandra Hotel in Darwen, Lancashire, with his pal and manager John Scott.
The duo claim to have saved the vital community hub from potential demolition and being turned into flats.
So far, they have spent £13,000 on renovations to an outdoor seating area, which opened in time for a Bonfire Night celebration last November.
The team had applied for retrospective permission for a raised decking area with canopy - but this was rejected by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council planners.
Paul, who believes the council's order stems from one complaint, told Lancs Live: "We checked with the building owners if we needed planning permission but we were told because it was free standing, it wasn't necessary.
"We got it finished enough to use for Bonfire Night but then a single resident complained about it and it led to us being asked to apply for retrospective planning permission.
"These residents complain about everything, such as motorbikes revving their engines and I do understand as they have a young family but they also live on a busy road opposite a pub.
"We built the shelter with the best intentions, because customers asked for it and we needed a covered outdoor space for smokers to be tucked away, so they didn't congregate in the doorway when it is raining.
"We have put our heart and soul into the pub. We barred so many people and sorted out the issues, we really feel like we have saved it."
Despite all his hard work, the council's rejection letter stated that the structure isn't "aesthetically pleasing".
But Paul feels the process has not been "in-keeping with standard applications", and has now hired a specialist planning consultant to assist with the application.
He says the specialist was "shocked" at the council's "straight denial", which was apparently made without a site visit.
Paul opted to build the shelter at the front of the pub because a previous landlord built a small one at the back and it generated hundreds of noise complaints because it backed onto two rows of terraced houses.
He added: "There has been no conversation with the council, no dialogue at all. We are willing to change it or adapt."
"I feel like our application was just put to one side. We put the shelter up for the health and safety of the children, so they didn't have to walk past smokers at the entrance. Parents bring their kids for a bit to play on the grass because they don't have gardens at home.
"It isn't even finished because we didn't see the point in spending more money until we sorted the planning out. The roof is currently felted but it was going to be tiled."
Paul now plans to appeal to council's decision, as he faces a cost of over £8,000 to get professionals to tear it down, with some of the wooden beams 8m tall.
He said: "We have six months to appeal so we can get through summer but may have to rip it down before Christmas, and then who knows.
"I just want to know what they expect us to do, without it actually being a full brick extension. "
A report by planning officer Christian Barton stated: “Public comments have been received objecting as additional noise impacts may be caused.
"The covered decking area adjacent to the pub itself makes it more likely that customers will congregate and use this area late into the night."
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Planning Manager Gavin Prescott said: “In short, the structure that Mr Dean has built does not comply with the planning permission Admiral Taverns was granted in 2020 and is of poor design.
"We feel that it would be very difficult to modify the existing structure to an acceptable form. The only realistic way forward would be to rebuild the canopy in accordance with the planning permission Admiral Taverns was granted in 2020.
"A planning officer was in touch with the architect during the assessment process, primarily to share concerns over the development’s poor appearance and to be clear that we would not recommend approval of retrospective planning permission.”
Council officials say they have shared a copy of the planning decision report with the landlord’s architect, as well as an explanation "regarding the best way forward".
