No place for dome at City Bar

COUNCIL enforcement officers have called time on a dome at the rear of a Swansea pub and ordered it to be taken down.

They said it was put up without planning permission at the City Bar, St Thomas, and must now be removed within two months.

The glazed structure was installed on a rear extension at the pub in 2016, before planning consent was sought and refused the following year.

Council planning officers described the customer dome in 2017 as “an incongruous feature” which would harm the traditional character of a residential area.

They were also concerned about the impact of its disco lights, and warned that the work carried out could be subject to enforcement action.

The application also sought approval for plans for a higher boundary wall at the venue, and a rear roof extension to accommodate five guest rooms with balconies.

Four letters of objection were submitted to the authority.

Planning officers said the planned roof extension was inappropriate and that the balconies would affect the privacy of some nearby householders on Miers Street.

The dome was said to hold up to 70 people, although an advertisement by the City Bar said it was for 120 guests.

Petitions objecting to and supporting the dome have done the rounds, with City Bar joint owner Marc Strydom saying he had wanted to create a bespoke function area for customers and had invested a six-figure sum in the pub, which was formerly The Windsor Arms.

Susan Boat, the organiser of a social group which met at the City Bar, praised the management at the pub and said some members of the group didn’t get out otherwise.

Supporter Tony Kelleher said: “The owners of the City Bar are making a massive effort to provide an added service to the area, they should not be hampered in their efforts.”

Also speaking in 2017 was City Bar co-owner Martin Joyce, who said he and Mr Strydom would not press ahead with the proposals for the five guest rooms.

But he said he was determined to get the go-ahead for the dome.

Mr Joyce and Mr Strydom can appeal the council’s enforcement notice before it comes into force on January 5.

A member of staff at the City Bar, when contacted by the Local Democracy Reporter Service, said the owners were aware of the enforcement notice.

But no further comment was made at the time of going of press.