A VILLAGE pub could be forced to tear down a garden canopy in a row with the council over planning permission.

The controversial covering at the Bridge in Tibberton near Worcester was installed in the pub’s beer garden during the Covid-19 pandemic to help enforce social distancing measures.

Planning officers at Wychavon District Council turned down a retrospective application from the pub for the garden canopy saying it would be “detrimental” to the area.

The owners of the Plough Road pub have appealed to the government’s planning inspectors in a bid to get the decision overturned and allow the canopy to stay in place.

The council said it had rejected the plan by the pub, which sits next to the protected Birmingham and Worcester Canal, because the canopy’s “materials and appearance” and “highly visible location” did nothing to ‘preserve or enhance’ the conservation area.

A report, which outlined the rejection from the council’s planners, said: “The harm to the setting of the designated and non-designated heritage assets is seen to outweigh this modest public benefit as this outdoor space can still be used with or without the covering and whilst the tent is temporary in design having this as a permanent feature will be detrimental to the character of the building and surrounding area.”

Restrictions on canopies and other temporary structures in beer gardens were relaxed by the government during the Covid-19 to help pubs attract more customers following lockdowns.

The council said the canopy exceeded height restrictions and did not qualify under the change of rules.