Aberdeenshire Council planners had shared nearby residents' concerns about noise levels if the garden went ahead at the Castle Bar.

However, their recommendation to refuse the application was rejected by councillors on the Banff and Buchan area committee last week.

Seven valid representations, including five objections, had been made by neighbouring residents.

Objectors said they feared increased noise from the premises.

One wrote: "My property shares a wall with the proposed beer garden. I have serious concerns about the impact it would have on my quality of life and on my property day and night, particularly at weekends when the Castle Bar's clientele is very young and rowdy.

"Due to the extremely close proximity of our properties, the external noise levels caused by talking/shouting/singing/arguing from increasingly intoxicated drinkers would be unbearable.

"Further to that, there would be the noise caused by music blaring out from the bar, and doors banging as people enter/leave the beer garden.

"I have also real concerns about the potential for injury to persons or damage to my house and car should just one person decide to throw a glass or bottle over the wall.

"This is not an unlikely scenario, as I have to clean up bottles/glasses thrown into my courtyard by people going to or leaving the Castle Bar on a regular basis."

At last week's meeting, a spokesman on behalf of the pub told the committee that the four-metre high walls around the garden would break much of the sound from customers, and said he believed the proposal would help tourism to the area.

A planning official said a site visit had revealed that the garden was "in very close proximity" to residential properties.

The Castle Bar has been given the go-ahead for a beer garden.

"It is likely to give rise to an increase in noise, much to the detriment of the surrounding properties," he added.

"The potential for nuisance for noise is very real, and difficult to control. We also do not feel the high walls will not make a great deal of difference to the noise."

However, Councillor Brian Topping said: "The site visit convinced me that if you were looking for somewhere to have a beer garden, this was the ideal location.

"People who choose to live next to a pub have to take it into account when they buy their place.

"Also, walking past smokers when you walk into a pub or restaurant is unattractive, and this will remove that problem."

A condition of the beer garden is that it will only be open until 9pm.

Catherine Street resident Frances McKay said: "There are already a lot of noise levels surrounding the pub, but having the garden closed after 9pm is not so bad."

Alan Keir, director of leased pubs at Belhaven, which owns the Castle Bar, said: "We are pleased that the application has been given the go-ahead, as we firmly believe that the beer garden will enhance the area.

"We have listened to the concerns of our neighbours and have been working hard to carry out a number of initiatives to help keep any noise to an absolute minimum.

"We will be installing CCTV cameras to ensure safety and security are top priorities, we are planting trees as a screen to limit any noise carrying towards neighbouring properties, and we will be operating a 9pm curfew in the garden."

g.crawford@banffshire-journal.co.uk

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