Application for coffee shop-come-wine bar in former South Yorkshire shop

During a virtual meeting held today (December 1), applicants Ms Gillian Farrington-Lee and Mr Garry Astle sought a license for the retail sale of alcohol on the premises and to play recorded music at the former interiors and carpet shop at 20, The Pastures.

If approved, the new pub may serve alcohol between 12pm-11pm, and open from 9am-11.30pm seven days a week, and 1.30am on New Years’ Day.

The application received three objections, from Todwick Parish Council and two residents.

Rotherham Council’s community protection unit also raised concerns about noise nuisance, the proximity of residential properties and “inadequate” soundproofing measures at the venue.

The applicant had previously agreed a number of conditions with South Yorkshire Police and Rotherham Council, including fitting CCTV, keeping a refusal and incident log, providing staff training, and ensuring under 18s are supervised.

Councillor Norman Wright, representing Todwick Parish Council, said: “The parking round there is horrendous, with the school being there. Parking is really really dreadful there especially to nine o’clock in the morning 12 o’clock lunchtime and three o’clock in the afternoon.

“There is nowhere for people going to the venue to park.”

Elizabeth Costello, representing RMBC’s environmental health department raised concerns about the premises close proximity to residential properties, adding that it would “cause an issue”.

She proposed a closing time of 10pm and no outdoor seating.

Ms Farrington-Lee told the meeting: “I’m a resident, I’m passionate about the village, I’ve lived here all my life. We don’t want it to be anything like Wickersley, we want it to be a community hub.

Ms Farrington-Lee added that the venue would be a wine bar-come-coffee house, and that discussions were ongoing to hold a book club at the venue.

“Growing up here, I feel that there’s never really been a lot to do, we don’t want to upset people because we want it to be for a lot of the locals to use.

“We want people to come and sit and chat, it’s not to have a massive all nighter dancing place like in Wickersley – we don’t want that at the end of our road.”

“I agree, there isn’t masses of parking. We’d hope, because we want it to be a community thing, that people would be walking there.

The licensing committee withdrew to make a decision in private, and will inform the applicants of their decision within five working days.

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