First Roof Terrace permission secured for a Youngs West End Pub.
Customers now expect public houses to provide good food and dining areas, as well as beer gardens/terraces so that food and drink can be enjoyed outside, particularly during summer months. Pubs need to trade flexibly and have every opportunity to allow for external seating.
The Phoenix is a popular gastropub in the heart of the growing ‘Victoria Opportunity Area’ with a limited garden/outdoor dining space and a constrained kitchen facility.
On behalf of our client, Youngs, we secured a permission for a new terrace (with a louvered roof) over the existing ground floor extension alongside a new plant enclosure at roof level. The terrace can be used in both winter and summer months providing customers with use all year round.
As part of the application we also ensured the upper floors should be used as ancillary staff accommodation rather than as an independent dwelling to allow an internal reconfiguration improving the commercial kitchen area.
This proposal is typical of the flexible approach needed to ensure pubs evolve over time to respond to customer demands and we were pleased that Westminster Council agreed with the approach.
Summary of achievements
- Provision of planning advice throughout the process;
- Review of co-consultants’ documents prior to submission;
- Preparation of a Planning Statement and justification of proposals;
- Coordination of the planning application submission; and
- Application monitoring and positive engagement with the Council.
