Petition against super pub

ANGRY Wickham Avenue residents marched on the town hall to hand in a 360-name petition against the proposed Wetherspoon's development.

Their action came two days before councillors granted planning permission for the pub giants to create a new branch on the Hastings Glass site.

Rother planning officers had advised the application be granted as long as restrictions on noise, odour and licensing hours are met.

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But residents who live near the proposed site, feel the pub would make their lives unbearable.

Some of their concerns include noise, public safety and problems with parking.

Shelley Darker, who lives near the current Hastings Glass building, said: "I have a lot of foreign students and I'm worried for their safety coming back home at night past the pub.

From a practical point of view I can't park around the area as it is. It's not that I'm against Wetherspoon's building something but they seemed to have picked the wrong area."

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Barbara Ward, also of Wickham Avenue, thinks a large pub would cause too much disturbance to her family.

"I have a daughter who is permanently ill and the doctor seems to think that noise and upset from this establishment will worsen her condition. Also, I'm a nurse working shifts and I have got to get some sleep."

"Binge drinking has been has been a monumental problem with great social and health consequences, " said protestor, Tony Richard. "I would like the councillors to look closely at the social importance of this and the weight of corporate influence."

Penny Thomas, who lives just meters from the site, said: "It's not just an old persons argument. Many young people have signed the petition and do not want it."

Planners say these concerns will be addressed by the conditions imposed on the company. Sussex police do not object to the application.

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