Residents of Northampton street object to garage selling craft beer

A Northampton businesswoman wanting to store craft beer in her residential garage has come up against opposition from neighbours, which has led to a formal licensing hearing.

Mum-of-two Laura Butler. of Middle Greeve, Wootton Fields, has applied for a premises licence as she intends to store boxes of beer there prior to sale from her UK Beer Garage website.

But a raft of objections from neighbours has led to a licensing hearing involving councillors, police and council officers to be scheduled at the Guildhall.

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One objector wrote: “Alcohol should never be sold from any private residence. If anyone in Wootton fields wishes to purchase beer in the vicinity, the Co-op sells alcohol and there are two pubs nearby.”

Another said: “Perhaps teenagers/young folk who look older than they really are might try to buy from the house. There could be a noise increase if they have rowdy fun and games.”

Mrs Butler, a part-time teaching assistant, has been forced to explain by letter that no-one will be allowed to buy beer from the garage in person.

She wrote: “Our business is not noisy, offensive or dangerous. There have been and still are several small artisan businesses run from properties throughout the area.

“We’re such a small operation that neighbours would not even know we run a business if we had not mentioned it to them already.”

The hearing is set for April 21.