Aberdeenshire CouncilOwners of the Market Arms pub in Banff have been given permission to install gates after arguing they were needed to break up brawling punters.
The historic B-listed pub on High Shore, which dates back to 1585, sits in the Banff Conservation Area.
Its owners wanted to install timber gates to fill the arched entrance to the pend, which would be painted black once in place.
Manager Iona Sim argued the feature was needed to close off the outdoor drinking area and would improve safety for customers.
However, she said the gates would only be closed and locked on “very rare occasions” early in the morning or late at night.
But council planners recommended the plan be thrown out as they believed it would be “unacceptable” to close off the public route.
They also said it would create a “visual and physical barrier” to the pend.
The matter went before the Banff and Buchan area committee, who had visited the pub beforehand to get a better idea of the potential project.
Pub owner David Fusco has owned the business for 22 years and told members he had spent a lot of time and money bringing the bar back to life.
He revealed the Market Arms is now pulling in five times more customers than it did when he first took over.
“We’ve gained a great reputation for providing a service to the community, as well as a safe place for anybody to go and have a social evening or afternoon,” he said.
Mr Fusco stated it would be “madness” for the pub to keep the gates closed.
“It would block access, we can’t run our business without people coming to it,” he explained.
Bar manager Iona Sim added that the timber gateway was needed to help calm any potential trouble amongst customers.
She explained: “If you have a fight, you separate them – get some to the front and some to the back until the police arrive.
“That gate can help me as a barrier for 20 minutes or so to split up a fight.
“It’s a horrible and scary situation to be in, but if that gate can help protect my staff, customers and the general public, that can only be a good thing for safety.”
Miss Sim told the committee that the gate would be open most of the time and would only be closed in “extreme circumstances.”
However, she also revealed the gate could be used to protect those simply passing the premises.
“We have had problems with teenagers riding through on bikes,” she explained.
“If we close one side, that prevents them from doing that which helps keep customers safe.”
She even revealed a pensioner walking along the pend almost got taken “clean out” by a cyclist.
“We’ve got to protect people,” Miss Sim added.
Councillor Glen Reynolds urged the committee to approve the planning application.
He said: “This is a business that has tried to do well and abide, yet they are facing problems regarding the right of way.
“We’ve heard the safety implications that form the heart of this.
“This is not impacting negatively on the town centre and it’s about time this was resolved.”
Colleague councillor Stewart Adams agreed and wanted to see the gates installed on the grounds of safety.
It seems the rest of the committee agreed as members went on to go against planners’ recommendation and unanimously granted the plan.
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