Former pub to become shop despite backlash

A council has given the go-ahead for an empty pub to be turned into a convenience store, despite objections by residents.

The Sportsman on Fitzwilliam Street in Swinton, Rotherham, has been vacant since it closed during the Covid pandemic in 2020.

The application was approved by Rotherham Council's planning board on Thursday, despite there being 50 letters of objection, as well as a petition with 154 signatures.

There were concerns over increased delivery traffic, a lack of parking and increased risks to pedestrians from traffic as the building is on a junction

Others had concerns that another shop could result in anti-social behaviour, littering and crime.

The shop will only be open to customers between 07:00 BST and 22:00 Mondays to Saturdays, and 07:00-21:00 on Sundays.

No deliveries for the shop are to be received outside the hours of 08:00 and 21:00 Mondays to Saturdays, and 09:00 and 21:00 on Sundays.

The car park on site will only be for residential and staff use, not for customer use.

Several residents attended the meeting to object to the plans, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports.

One resident said: "I believe this particular shop is neither needed or wanted in this area. I think this has been backed up by the objections that you've received.

"I don't know how the council actually sees it as a justified need within the area when you've had such a large amount of objections to it.

"I believe that it would cause nuisance to the area with the hours, the noise, the littering."

Another resident said that the building should be redeveloped into residential homes "meeting the increasing need for affordable accommodation in the area."

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