Popular petrolheads venue Caffeine and Machine has been granted permission to add extra car parking. Plus a number of other changes to the venue.
There have been objections to the plans and suggestions that a smaller car park should be considered. This is to limit the number of cars attending Caffeine and Machine. The pub is located on the main A422 Banbury Road, just a few miles from Stratford-upon-Avon. Other than requesting mature trees being planted between the venue and a neighbouring cottage, councillors approved the changes.
Some of the objections
A local Cllr of Alderminster Parish Council said the business was so popular with drivers of sports, performance and modified cars that it was now unsuitable for the location.
A neighbour living next to the pub said as many as 1,000 vehicles a day could visit the site. “It has basically become a large car park with insufficient infrastructure. The accompanying noise levels constitute a public nuisance – it has a huge impact on our lives. I am a motorsport enthusiast and secretary of the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club and organise and run some very high profile race meetings so I am extremely conscious of the noise restraints which we have to work to at places like Brands Hatch, Silverstone and Donnington Park.”
And some suggestions
It was suggested that the application for additional parking spaces bringing capacity to 220 – comparative to that of a small supermarket – is potentially excessive. Many of the concerns could be mitigated through the reduction in capacity.
But that suggestion was rejected by Stratford District Council’s portfolio holder for tourism and economic development. It was said: “I can’t agree with that at all – you are basically trying to restrict business viability and putting a limit on its success. In the current environment the hospitality sector needs as much help and support as it can get.”
The Committee chairman added “Caffeine and Machine have been able to create a very viable good quality business. They should be rewarded for that, not penalised. We must also be mindful of the planning law and the impact that has elsewhere. There are some sound issues to be resolved but that needs to be done under the licensing act and not through planning.”
The verdict
The plans were approved by seven votes to one with one abstention.
