Decades-old garden centre sells booze for the first time

Langlands Garden Centre, in Loxley, is one of three centres of its kind in the country, the other two were already free to sell booze.

The decision was referred to Sheffield City Council’s licensing committee after one resident and the Environmental Health Service objected to it.

Steven Bennett, an objector living near the centre said: “While I support local business and wish the garden centre success, it is a garden centre. It sells plants and related items, it is not a pub or a nightclub or anything of the kind.

“It is in a very rural area and my neighbours and I are concerned about noise pollution/ nuisance and greater disturbance due to increased traffic coming and going at night, which on a small lane could lead to lots of different safety issues.”

Rachel Shaw, of Langlands, said they previously held events which encouraged people to bring their own alcohol and had not had any issues before, she also said they would never reach more than 80-odd people for evening events.

She added: “We’re just missing out on a few little perks, to be honest I don’t think it’s ever going to take off a great deal, it would just be there as an ancillary to everything else that we do and would allow us join in with the other stores in advertising.”

She also praised the council’s licensing team and said: “During the licensing process we found out that Sheffield has this safe city approach and the other two stores have had absolutely nobody approach them in the change over of the license application so they weren’t aware of anything like this popping up. So I’m quite proud of Sheffield for being like that, the other two stores have got away lightly.”

Environmental Health officers raised concerns about unsafe doors which were difficult to escape from under the plans but this has now been amended by the centre with the approval of officers.

Their application was granted as requested.