A PUB near Bolton has had an application to retain a marquee and outdoor covered seating in its beer garden approved.

The management of the Thomas Egerton, in Blackburn Road, Egerton, previously erected the marquee in the rear beer garden to address the need for additional covered seating to be made available following the restrictions that imposed in response to Covid-19.

Planning permission was necessary to retain the marquee, seating and temporary toilets as they had been in position for a period of more than the 28 days in a calendar year and is within a conservation area.

The planning application, stated: “Planning permission is sought to retain the marquee in its current position for six months from the granting of planning permission.

“It is accepted that it would not be appropriate for the marquee to be sited in this location permanently as result of the setting of the surrounding conservation area, however it is considered to be entirely

acceptable for the marquee to be retained on a temporary basis as exceptional circumstances exist.”

An officer’s report approving the marquee and seating, said: “It is considered given that the existing use to the rear of the public house as a beer garden is an established use and that the marquee is sited away from neighbouring properties along with the proposed conditions for the temporary period that it is considered, on balance acceptable given the circumstances.”