A CHESTER pub's plans to revamp its beer garden – which includes having seating booths with built-in televisions – have been approved.

Work to renovate the outdoor area of The Town Crier on City Road is underway in readiness for the reopening of pubs outside from Monday, April 12.

The planning application put forward by the applicant Stonegate Pub Company was for a pergola, three seating booths underneath which are screened with timber boarding and have the televisions built in, decking, lighting, heaters, landscaping and a portable bar.

Those plans have now been rubber stamped by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The Town Crier Facebook page posted today: "We are thrilled to announce that our brand new beer garden will be ready and waiting for you on Monday, 12th April.

"We have a brand new decked area with booths and TVs to watch the best that BT and Sky Sports has to offer."

As part of the planning consent, a condition is in place giving the pub temporary permission to have the outdoor televisions for a 12-month period so any impacts on residential amenity can be fully assessed before granting long-term approval.

Another condition states that the external televisions and speakers can only operate between the hours of 9am and 10pm on any day.

In a report recommending approval, council case officer Jo Redmond said: "The site is in close proximity to apartments associated with the Old Post Office building.

"Due to the existing use of the site as a beer garden and considering the scale of the development proposed, it is not considered that the proposals would result in a significant adverse impact upon neighbours residential amenity by ways of outlook or privacy.

"It is however considered that the proposals have the potential to increase noise disturbance, primarily generated by the television proposals.

"The applicant has submitted a Noise Management Plan (NMP) and the Environmental Protection Unit have advised that it demonstrates a reasonable approach to ensuring protection of neighbouring residents, and recommends compliance with the NMP be a condition of any permission granted.

"The unit also recommends that any permission granted for the use of the proposed televisions, should be for a temporary one year period to allow assessment of the proposed use to inform longer-term permission."

Internal work is also currently taking place at the dog-friendly, Grade II listed Town Crier pub, which includes the refurbishment of the kitchen.