Concern over future plans for pub

Jan 15 2010 Kevin Edge

Residents living by a derelict Chadsmoor pub have raised concerns about nuisance behavior, after the building was put on the market.

The residents of Huntington Terrace Road said they hoped the Moon Under The Water site - which is now on the market for £275,000 - would not be reopened as another pub.

The previous pub was closed down by police and Chase Council bosses after becoming linked with anti-social behavior.

Cannock Chase Council’s licensing sub-committee revoked the licence of the pub earlier this month after hearing concerns from nearby residents, Environmental Health, Cannock Police and Trading Standards.

Residents said problems with mass street fights and vandalism from people drinking at the pub had blighted their life.

This week they said they would like to see a change of use of the building.

“I hope they do something with it, but not a pub,” resident Andrew Bishop, whose video evidence of a mass brawl outside the venue helped in the decision to shut it down, said.

“Nobody wants a return to the kind of problems we saw around here. A new pub could see the same problems again.”

“Everybody is hoping the place is reopened as a shop or something like that,” one resident said.

“It would be nice to have something here which benefited the whole of the community.”

Estate agents Paramount, who are handling the sale, said: “(The building) may be suitable for redevelopment subject to gaining the appropriate local authority consents.

“This pub could either be converted or demolished and redeveloped into residential or mixed use accommodation.

“The existing use class of the property is A4 ‘Drinking Establishments’ although planning consent is not required to change the current use to shops, financial and professional services or restaurants and cafes.