Mixed views on pub car wash

12:20pm Saturday 19th July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Residents have expressed mixed views over a village pub car park being used as a car wash.

Some have spoken out about health and safety risks, while others are happy to see The Eagle pub in Kings Langley being run by “friendly” tenants.

The pub tenants have placed signs advertising the car wash on nearby buildings in Hempstead Road, which are Grade II listed, although according to Tracey Maneli, who runs the pub, she has asked residents for their input.

Councillor Howard Button, of Kings Langley Parish Council, said: “The majority of councillors are not happy about seeing a car wash on a Grade II listed building.

“Before, when it was a proper pub, the land lady had lovely decking, but she was forced to take it down because the building is listed.

“Then they go and allow car washing, it is a mockery.”

Annie Brett, who lives in Hempstead Road, said: “Before these friendly tenants arrived, people used to block my driveway.

“My two children were kept awake until 11pm because of the noise from rowdy customers, we nearly moved because we just could not put up with it.

“Since the new people moved in the noise has completely gone, even when they have events going on, Tracey will come to check to see if everything was alright.

“They need to make a living or they will close and then the place will be boarded up again.”

Tracey said: “We have made this place into more of a café, we sell locally-baked cakes and fairtrade coffee.

“As a pub it is not busy.

“If some residents are upset about the car wash they should pop in for a drink and support us.

“Before we came, it was rat-infested, and there were squatters. It was dire, there were syringes everywhere.

“We are not harming the building, all we have done is improve it.

“We have put the correct channelling in for drainage, we hold mum and baby groups and we are doing as much as we can to keep it going.

“Sometimes we close early in the evening during the week because we do not have any customers.”

Sue Jones, of Barnes Rise, said that the car wash is a health hazard, and she is “fed-up of getting sprayed with water” when she walks past.

She added: “I used to run the petrol station over the road.

“They have a good car wash and it uses recycled water, which this one does not.”

Tracey, who has lived in Chipperfield all her life, explained that she has tried to meet with certain parish councillors, but they have refused.

The pub landlord, Enterprise Inns, has now submitted a planning application to allow the use of land and garage as a car wash.

Helen Lawrence, spokesman for Dacorum Borough Council, said: “The council is unlikely to be able to support the application due to the detrimental impact upon the Grade II listed building in terms of the setting and possible detrimental impact to the fabric.

“There has been a strong objection from the parish.”