'˜Foul' odours cause row between popular South Shields bar and social club

Brigham and Cowan Social Club, in Brigham Place, South Shields, is involved in a row with The Mile Bar and Grill over extractor fans.

Bob Growcott, secretary of Brigham and Cowan, claims that because of the location of The Mile’s fans, whenever the club’s own intake fans are used, an “unbearable” smell comes through.

Mr Growcott has been involved in negotiations with South Tyneside Council over the issue, after The Mile’s fans were fitted earlier this year.

However, the council says it is only able to intervene in circumstances where domestic premises are affected.

Mr Growcott said: “The odours when we put the fans on are foul.

“South Tyneside Council gave them planning permission to put an extraction unit in their wall off their kitchen.

“It should have gone up to the roof, but the council can’t do anything about it now. The smell is being brought into our club.

“We have air conditioning but to enhance it, we need to put the fans on.

“We can’t because the smell from the kitchen is unbearable.”

Mr Growcott says the “final straw” was a letter from the council advising the club to fit “suitable charcoal filters” or relocate their intake fans.

He added: “The letter was the final straw for me. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

“We have top-of-the-range extraction units.

“Why should we have to go to the expense because of someone else?”

Mr Growcott is also unhappy at use of the alleyway behind the two venues.

He said: “For quite some time, we’ve been complaining about the general state of the back alleyway.

“It began when they started using big bins in the alleyway, reducing the public right of way by half the width.

“That’s one of the main routes to the club, and there’s also regularly grease, muck and filth there.”

A letter addressed to the club from South Tyneside Council’s environmental health team said: “Unfortunately, the law requires this authority to seek a remedy only where it has an effect on a domestic premise, so this authority is unable to use any powers under this legislation to enforce changes.

The Mile did not wish to comment when contacted by the Gazette.