Three Mile Cross Pub Dispute Finally Resolved

A dispute over the presence of a bus at a reopened village pub and other issues raised by a neighbour have been resolved following a meeting.

A dispute over a bus parked at a reopened village pub has been resolved following a meeting between concerned parties.

The Swan pub in Three Mile Cross has been operating for over a year since landlady Charlotte Grant revived it in early 2024. However, neighbour Daniel Dursley raised complaints about the bus, which he claimed had caused a nuisance, along with reports of glass bottles being thrown into his garden.

Dursley requested a review of the pub's licence from Wokingham Borough Council. Ms Grant explained that the bus was a gift from her partner and staff for her birthday, aiming to bring joy to the community. She stated, “It was really lovely, it brought joy to everyone... police and council said ‘you are doing nothing wrong.’”

Dursley acknowledged that his complaints were mainly about outdoor activities rather than anything occurring inside the pub, emphasising the impact of noise on nearby homes.

Concerns were also raised regarding the potential use of a side building as a bar, with council licensing officer Kieran Hinchliffe suggesting that a licence variation could address this. Ms Grant believes the second bar is already included in the current licence.

She stated, “I have brought it back to life... I would try to work with everyone as much as I can; it’s a village pub where people want to come and have fun.” On Dursley’s complaints, Grant mentioned that discarded glass might not have originated from her establishment, and the stress from the review had impacted her health.

Councillors decided to impose new conditions on the pub’s licence, with all activities, including live music and food sales, required to occur indoors. Should Ms Grant wish to extend activities outside, she can apply for a licence variation.

Additionally, the bus will be equipped with alarms to alert management of any intrusions, and CCTV will be installed facing the garden. This decision was made by councillors following a licensing hearing on September 22, with the outcome issued five working days later.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter