North Yorkshire Council grants alcohol licence for new bar on industrial estate in Knaresborough

But North Yorkshire Council’s statutory licensing sub committee added a condition to ban a proposed beer garden after concerns were raised about reversing HGVs at Hambleton Grove Industrial Estate.

The family-owned brewery specialises in craft ale and operates from a different industrial estate on Hookstone Chase in Harrogate where it operates a small bar, also called a taproom.

Martin Joyce, from the company, said it will use the industrial unit in Knaresborough for storage as well as for a second taproom so people can try beers brewed in Harrogate.

He said he wanted to create a “community environment” for Knaresborough and councillors met on Monday (December 11) in Harrogate to consider whether to grant the bar an alcohol licence.

Mr Joyce said: “To set up a pub these days is significant, whereas I can utilise the space I have got for storage and a taproom.

"That creates business sense to me and gives back to the community.”

During the meeting, councillors heard from environmental health officer John Mathews, who warned there had been instances of HGVs reversing into cars at the industrial estate — close to a proposed outdoor area for drinkers.

This forced the council to issue a health and safety improvement notice to the landlord of the industrial estate in November 2022.

Since then, improvements have been made but Mr Mathews said the safety of customers visiting the bar could be put at risk by a new reversing area.

He said: “It presents a risk for customers who are likely to be near large reversing vehicles, possibly under the influence of alcohol.”

In response, Mr Joyce proposed alternative opening hours so that customers would only be able enter the premises at a time when HGVs are prohibited from entering the industrial estate.

Councillor Andy Paraskos, who represents Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale and Tockwith for the Conservatives, raised concerns about out-of-hours deliveries from other businesses at the industrial estate impacting on the bar.

He said: “Surely some of these businesses will want out of hours deliveries at some point.

"I’m sure there will an issue there.”

However, councillors ultimately agreed to grant the alcohol licence with a condition attached to ensure that all activity at the bar takes place inside to reduce any risk of vehicles reversing into customers.

These are the approved opening hours:

Thursday (May to September) – 4pm till 10pm

Friday – 4pm till 10pm

Saturday – 12pm till 10pm

Sunday – 12pm till 8pm