JD Wetherspoon plc has submitted an application to Cheltenham Borough Council seeking permission to extend the opening hours of its Moon under Water pub, situated on Bath Road near Sandford Park and the High Street. Currently, the pub operates from 8am until midnight every day, except on Fridays and Saturdays when it closes at 1am. The company proposes to extend opening hours on Sundays through Wednesdays until 1:30am.
The application, dated 29 July, also requests an extension of its licence to serve alcohol and provide regulated entertainment, allowing alcohol sales until 1am and late-night refreshment along with entertainment until the new closing time of 1:30am on these days.
The full application is available for public inspection at Cheltenham Borough Council offices during regular opening hours, or online via the council’s licensing webpages. Individuals wishing to comment on the proposal can submit representations in writing or via email to [email protected] by 26 August.
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Following the consultation period, the council will review any valid representations and determine the outcome either through delegated powers or at a licensing sub-committee hearing. The decision may include approval as applied for, refusal, or the imposition of additional conditions.
Moon under Water is one of two JD Wetherspoon establishments in Cheltenham, alongside the nearby Bank House. The building housing Moon under Water was originally constructed in 1929 as a garage and showroom on the site of a former Regency-style house named Cambray Pavilion. Its name pays homage to George Orwell’s fictional ideal pub.
JD Wetherspoon operates 793 managed pubs and 23 franchise sites across the UK. Recently, the company reported sales growth that fell short of expectations and signalled potential profit challenges, dampening hopes of a boost from the World Cup and favourable weather. Additionally, it faces an estimated £60 million in increased costs due to wage rises and higher National Insurance contributions for the year.