Taylor’s Sports Bar and Grill, Leeds: Otley Run venue appeals against bar permission refusal
A venue on the Otley Run pub crawl has lodged an appeal after being refused permission to fully operate as a bar.
The management of Taylor’s Sports Bar and Grill have formally disputed the decision by Leeds City Council.
Retrospective planning permission was sought for change of use from a restaurant to a bar, along with expanded food provision and a decked outside seating area.
It was refused in September by council planners who cited road safety concerns on Otley Road.
An appeal document claimed the council had incorrectly used highways safety policy to refuse the application.
It said: “Such impacts have clearly not been demonstrated.”
The appeal report said council officers had “failed demonstrate an unacceptable impact to meet the policy test for refusing development on highway safety grounds.”
The venue is near the start of the famous pub crawl, which has attracted complaints of rowdy behaviour among thousands of revellers at weekends.
Council documents showed opinion was split over the planning application, with 107 letters of support and 160 objections.
Supporters said Taylor’s backed local sports teams and provided free Christmas dinners for pensioners.
One said: “Basically Taylor’s is a community hub where people can meet up safely.
“The outside decking area is a lovely addition where patrons can sit and watch the world go by. In summer it’s a lovely area to sit.”
Objectors included Labour Weetwood councillors Julie Heselwood, Emma Flint and Izaak Wilson.
Their concerns included overcrowding, noise, littering and drunken behaviour among pub crawlers.
The planning decision did not automatically require the premises to cease trading, but enforcement action could be taken, council bosses said.
Highways officers raised safety objections, saying the bar caused drinkers to drift across Otley Road, away from designated crossing points.
But the Taylor’s appeal report said the road was “lightly trafficked” with slow vehicle speeds.
It said: “All of which leads to minimal potential for conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians.”
A decision on the planning appeal is yet to be made.