A VILLAGE pub “belongs on the Cowley Road” a councillor has said following concerns about antisocial behaviour and a new beer garden.

Neighbours likened The Chequers in Churchill, West Oxfordshire, to Oxford University’s infamous Bullingdon Club.

However, manager Peter Reed, 29, who took over the pub in November 2012, said Thames Valley Police and licensing authority West Oxfordshire District Council had found no reason to take action, despite complaints.

Neil Owen, who represents Chadlington and Churchill on the district council, said: “It’s the wrong kind of pub in the wrong place.

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“It’s like Chipping Norton’s own Bullingdon Club. It was absolutely superb before, but now it seems to have attracted the Hooray Henrys, apparently wealthy, young university types who are over the top and noisy.

“It wouldn’t look out of place on the Cowley Road, but Churchill is quintessentially English and it has become a nightmare for neighbours.

“The garden will make it worse, but that was a planning decision we couldn’t stop and it will presumably only be open in the summer.

“The problems have mainly been outside the front of the pub.”

Milton-under-Wychwood resident Mr Owen, who stopped drinking there about nine months ago, said neighbours complained to police and council.

Issues included loud noise, foul language and drinkers apparently urinating outside, he said. The pub is open until midnight from Monday to Saturday and 11.30pm on Sunday.

Now, Mr Reed has hit back at the “bitter attack”.

He said: “Ever since we applied for planning permission we’ve had so many issues with residents, but the police or council have never found any evidence of wrongdoing.

“People think we’ve destroyed their pub, but it’s four times busier than when we bought it. Like any pub we have a great mixture of clientele.

“We have some ‘Hooray Henrys’, but it’s not the majority and why should it matter what background they come from anyway?

“If Mr Owen came in here and allowed us to look after him he would probably enjoy himself and realise we’re not evil people and don’t all go peeing outside people’s houses.”

And Jack Pinnington, manager of Cowley Road pub Big Society, defended his area, saying: “Generally speaking, most of our clients are very well behaved.

“Obviously, you get loud and rowdy people anywhere you go and there’s only so much you can do to stop individuals, but by creating the right atmosphere in a pub you find those people don’t really come here.”

West Oxfordshire District Council spokeswoman Carys Davies said: “The council has received allegations of noise emanating from the premises and carried out acoustic monitoring, however this did not provide evidence to support a statutory noise nuisance.

“A meeting has been held with the premises licence holder to make them aware of the complaint and the council will continue to work with them, with Thames Valley Police and individuals who have made the allegations.”

The police were not able to respond to questions as no specific dates for objections to the pub were known.


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