The town council has objected to Wetherspoon's application to open a pub in the former Poundland unit in the centre of Kenilworth.

Councillors at this week's Kenilworth Town Council planning meeting said while they did not object to the pub at The Square in general, they had concerns about the planned beer garden at the back of the venue.

Cllr Andrew Milton said: "I don't have a problem with the main application itself but where I do have a problem is the beer garden at the back. 

"I have a number of concerns on that. 

"One is the impact on neighbours, while it is next to the car park there are a lot of properties that back onto the car park and a number of sheltered housing schemes."

Cllr Milton also questioned how deliveries would be made with the beer garden planned to replace the current concrete delivery canopy.

But Cllr John Dearing said he thought an outdoor area of some kind would be necessary.

"My issue is that I see it as an advantage to have some sort of terrace or garden or whatever they want to call it out the back," he said. 

"It relieves the pressure of people wanting to go outside and then onto Warwick Road which I think is a far more worrying aspect of it."

Councillors also questioned the lack of detail around opening hours and said they would ask for a condition to be added to the planning application.

Cllr Milton also said he recognised the range of opinions within the town on Wetherspoon opening a pub.

"It is always interesting to see the views that are expressed by residents," he added. 

"On one hand this will be the death of the town centre, and on the other hand it will be the saving of the town centre. 

"So it is probably worth just noting that there are a wide range of views."

But councillors voted in favour of objecting to the scheme on the basis of the beer garden, but not on the detail of the rest of the application.

Cllr Alix Dearing said: "I can't say I have much time for the CEO [of Wetherspoon] but on balance I have to say I am minded to approve of this because you can't fight the fact that retail is in decline. 

"And I think there is an opportunity to make an attractive building here which will attract more people to the town. 

"It will support the visitors, encourage more footfall and promote the visitor economy and experience. And hopefully it will attract people to the independents."

While Cllr Peter Jones added: "People in the town are worried that they might undercut the other places that serve food and drink, at the bottom end serving cheap and cheerful. 

"And they are worried about the loss of these other businesses, however it is not our remit to do anything about that. 

"I have the same concerns as Andrew [Cllr Milton] but other than that I have no problem with it."

Councillors voted by six votes to two to object to the application.

More details of the scheme can be seen here.