Bromsgrove KFC gets given the go ahead

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BROMSGROVE'S Sugarbrook pub will be bulldozed to make way for a KFC 'drive-thru' restaurant after district council planners gave the proposal the green light tonight (Monday).

There will be 40 jobs, including 18 full-time posts, created by the fast-food outlet's arrival.

A number of concerns were raised about the new restaurant, including increased traffic and litter in the area and the loss of the pub to the community.

The chairman of the Redditch and Bromsgrove branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), Paul Richards, spoke up in favour of keeping the pub, saying it provided the people of Charford with a place to meet and watch sport.

But the agent, on behalf of the developers, said there were other pubs within a ten minute walk that could be used as an alternative.

Two headteachers from nearby schools - Charford First and South Bromsgrove High - had also expressed fears that the restaurant would lead to a decline in their pupils dietary choices and undermine their schools' healthy eating status.

But KFC said it did not market to children and that its food could be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet, with the average customer visiting every four weeks.

And Sean Shannon, one of the Bromsgrove District Councillors representing Charford, spoke out, saying he was not against KFC, but that it was the wrong venue for the restaurant, which would be better suited to the town centre or a retail park.

Despite the opposition, the planning committee members agreed with the officers' recommendation and granted permission for the eatery to go ahead.

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