Major step made in plans to open new Wetherspoons pub in Kenilworth

JD Wetherspoon wants to open a new pub at this site, 18-24 The Square, in Kenilworth Town centre which was formerly a branch of Poundland before it closed in 2020. .Picture courtesy of Google Maps

Warwick District Council’s licensing committee heard representations from the pub company at a meeting today and a lience has now been granted for the company to sell alcohol at the premises.

A major step has been made in plans to open a new £2 million Wetherspoons pub in Kenilworth town centre.

Representatives from JD Wetherspoon went before Warwick District Council’s (WDC) licensing committee at Leamington Town Hall today (Wednesday November 9).

The company has applied for a license to serve alcohol from the premises it has recently purchased – the former Poundland site at 18-24 The Square –

Computer generated image of the proposed Wetherspoons pub at 18-24 The Square in Kenilworth town centre. Image take from planning application.

from 8am to 1pm from Sunday to Thursday and 8am to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

During the hearing, WDC environmental health officer Stacey Walsham told the committee that initially the department had objected to the application over concerns that noise from the pub’s kitchen and from customers both inside and entering and leaving the premises could disturb residents living nearby but that nine conditions had now been agreed between officers and Wetherspoon and that this objection would be withdrawn.

Committee member Cllr Oliver Jacques (Con, Warwick All Saints & Woodloes): said: "The principle concerns from residents centre around noise, litter and anti-social behaviour.

"Condition five does say that efforts will be made to identify any disruptive behaviour by customers as they leave the premises.

"I would just like to be clear that these measures will be applied on a consistent basis not ad hoc or as and when you see fit.”

Those representing the pub company, which now has 850 branches across the UK, Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland, said that while the branch was a pub it would welcome children accompanied by children until 9.30pm and that there would be no ‘happy hour’ or ‘time-led’ promotions on alcoholic drinks.

They also assured the committee that training was in place and that much effort would be made to ensure noise, anti-social behaviour and litter from the pub would not be an issue for the town centre or its residents.

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Shortly after the meeting was adjourned WDC published the committee’s decision to grant the application as requested.

A decision on the planning application for the pub is yet to be made.

To watch the meeting click here