A FLACKWELL Heath landlord is hoping to succeed where many before him have failed and obtain council permission to open his pub garden to customers.
Adam Budd and his fiancée Mandy Howard run the Three Horseshoes on The Common, taking over the tenancy for their first ever pub in September last year.
The pub garden has been closed to customers for decades after several applications to the council were refused on the grounds of noise disturbances for neighbouring residents.
And the couple, who got engaged last week, are determined to find a solution to the long-running saga and achieve what they claim would be an important resource for local people.
Mr Budd said: "We have such a lovely garden at the back of our pub and at the moment it’s just sitting there going to waste.
There is no access from the pub flat, so it’s not a residential garden, it’s a pub garden. It always used to be many years ago and we want to make it available to our customers.
There are other pubs in the area with beer gardens, but none at this end of the village and so it would be a real boost for villagers to enjoy the space. Most of our locals are in favour of it."
An application to make use of the garden in 1984 was refused by Wycombe district council and later turned down on appeal.
Since then, several attempts by subsequent landlords have also failed, most recently last year when an application received over 10 written objections from residents.
But Mr Budd says they are keen to work with their neighbours to come to a solution that suits everybody.
"We’re not a loud, rowdy boozer at all" said the 50-year-old Marlow-born landlord.
"We’re a family pub with a large restaurant and it’d be great to offer a place for people to eat outside that isn’t the car park.
"We want to be good neighbours, but we also want the chance to use our lovely big garden.
Mr Budd and Ms Howard have not yet lodged an application to WDC, and plan to gather the views of local people and community groups before making a formal approach.
