Crown Wharf calls on public support as licence is reviewed following complaints

Stone’s Crown Wharf is having its licence conditions reviewed by Stafford Borough Council following complaints about excess noise affecting nearby properties.

In response to the review, the Crown Wharf team have launched a campaign asking for supporters to write to the licencing team to support their efforts. Their press release reads:

“People of Stone, we need you!

For those of you who may not be aware of the history and heritage of Crown Wharf, here is a little of our potted history. When we first set our sights on building Crown Wharf, we knew that this site was going to be much more than just a pub. What matters most to us and to the people of Stone was the return of Joule’s to the town centre we are synonymous with.

As soon as we had finished building the new Joule’s Brewery in 2010, we looked to find a pub so we could have a presence in the brand’s hometown of Stone. In 2009 we looked at our first site in Stone but it was not until 2013 that we first enquired about the land, Crown Wharf, but sadly this was already under offer. In 2016 the Crown Wharf Steering group was established with the sole purpose of promoting a use that would bring the Wharf to the town centre landscape. Crown Wharf was our dream site, it has so much relevance in our history we could build what we wanted in the footprint of the old Brewery, alongside the old Warehouses and opposite the old Cooperage. The steering group were supportive from the beginning and felt our plans would promote and benefit the town.

On the 7th of December 2017, we acquired Crown Wharf, and Joule’s Brewery had an interest in Stone once more.

All our previous projects up until this point had been refurbishments, but at Crown Wharf, there was nothing to refurbish but the history of the brand which inspired the design. The building is canal side, just like the original warehouses, but has been set back to form a beer terrace connecting the main pub to the canal overlooking the locks and meadows beyond, it is the best view to enjoy and is a suntrap in the early evening. These plans were fully supported by the Canal and River Trust and we want our customers to be able to wander from the bar to the beer Terrace as we feel the canal is integral to the building.

After recently celebrating our first birthday and being awarded Best new Build in the CAMRA Pub Design Award’s, Crown Wharf has become a community hub for many local groups and societies throughout the week and we are excited to see this grow with the opening of the Crown Wharf Theatre and Heritage Centre in the coming months. However this afternoon we have been made aware that an application has been made to review our premises licence at Crown Wharf claiming the Prevention of public nuisance is being undermined. This application is seeking to stop the use of the outdoor Canalside Terrace, including the balcony off the Boardroom. These restrictions would reduce our capacity, enforce limitations on the business in an already difficult trading climate and remove our connections with the Canal going community, one of the many reasons the site was initially chosen.

As we have responded to the pandemic, some members of the public require facilities with improved ventilation that offer good external space as we adapt to covid for the longer term, it’s important that we future proof the business if we were to ever be limited to external trade. In respect of our neighbours the Beer Terrace and Balcony is open until 11pm at the latest each evening, when all guests were invited inside or offered to sit in the Coopers Yard. At this time all windows and doors are also closed.

If you do have any concerns or would like to discuss this further, our next routine quarterly resident’s meeting will be held on the 26th September at 10am in the Boardroom at Crown Wharf, a frequent safe space for local residents, even just for a cup of coffee and cake, you’ll always be welcome.

We ask that you continue to support us now as you have in the past to protect the future of Crown Wharf for our town and its residents by voicing your opinion on the restrictions to our license that have been proposed. Restrictions that would affect our unique offering in the heart of Stone.

Have your say by emailing:

ehlicensing@staffordbc.gov.uk – You have until the 27th of September to make your case.”

We approached Stafford Borough Council to hear what triggered the complaints. William Conaghan, a spokesperson for Stafford Borough Council, told A Little Bit of Stone:

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“Fourteen households living near to the venue have been in touch with us on several occasions and made complaints over the last 12 months about excessive noise from the pub – such as loud music, and swearing and singing in the outdoor area. And issues include people’s health being affected – for example some have said they are suffering from stress because of it, they have been deprived of sleep and cannot use gardens or have their windows open.

“We have liaised with the owners of the brewery since September 2021 to ask that the noise be reduced. Unfortunately, residents are still suffering because of the noise and therefore it is only right we hold a review to discuss the licence conditions.”

In support of the Crown Wharf, neighbouring Canal Cruising told A Little Bit of Stone:

“Since the plans to develop the site first took shape, we’ve been on board and supported Joule’s in the development.

Since opening, that support has continued, and they still have our full backing. We’ve not heard any negatives from the canal users who navigate through and stop in the town.

We are regular users of the pub, and any issues that we may have had have always been resolved by the management very quickly”