Village pub’s new bid to keep marquees in grounds

Stuart Johnson, who runs The Golden Pheasant at Etton has reapplied to Peterborough City Council for the retention of two marquees next to the Listed former manor house after an initial bid was rejected last month.

Mr Johnson, who reopened the pub almost four years ago, said the marquees formed an integral part of the business (the pub itself is relatively small inside), hosted various community events and “demand is increasing due to the increase in population in nearby villages and lack of community spaces.”

He added, in his latest application: “We host wakes, weddings, milestone birthday parties and christenings as the local church does not have a village hall (so the church benefits as people are confident that there is a nearby facility to hold their gatherings); we organise a variety of charity events which support our customers.”

The business mainly survives on its wedding season and the marquees - one of which was replaced in 2018 - are crucial to this all year round, he said. Since taking the lease in 2018 he had spent more £26,000 on repairs to the pub.

“We could not look after and repair the manor house without the profits from the larger events as it would be impossible raising the funds just from wet sales of the pub,” he said.

“The marquee is now practically a natural part of the premises. The marquee is hardly visible from the road. After the 25 years and above the trees and hedges and surrounding foliage have created a great camouflage. The main point anyone can notice the marquee is on entering the actual grounds of the Golden Pheasant. The grandeur of the manor house is not at all hindered by the presence of the marquee.

“Dismantling such a comprehensive and complicated structure is labour intensive and time consuming and extremely costly.”

A report from the council’s Senior Environment & Pollution Officer Dorothy Poulter - detailing six noise complaints since August 2020 - recommends renewal be temporary and restricted to three years (as previous approvals have been) but that the use of the marquees is restricted to 12 days per year.