Delight after music stage at Lancaster pub saved following public campaign

Supporters of a Lancaster pub are delighted after finding out they can keep their live music stage after all.

Councillors voted to allow the John O'Gaunt to keep its stage at a packed meeting on Monday.

Lancaster City Council had previously said the stage should be removed because it affected the character of the 19th century pub.

Around 100 people packed into Morecambe Town Hall this morning as Lancaster City Council discussed a planning application by the pub to retain the stage at the front of the venue.

There was applause and cheering in the public gallery when the recommendation of planning officers to remove the stage was rejected, meaning the stage can now remain.

The stage was installed at the Market Street venue earlier this year and has proven a big hit with musicians, customers and staff alike.

Above: The stage at the John O'Gaunt

But Lancaster City Council warned landlady Claire Tomlinson to remove the stage and was warned that enforcement action would be taken unless she did so.

This is because installing the stage needs special consent from the council, as the John O'Gaunt is a listed building - meaning the Market Street pub is of special historical interest and importance.

Pictured below are pub landlady Claire Tomlinson (second left at front) and supporters on the steps of Morecambe Town Hall after the decision on Monday.

A ‘Save our Stage’ campaign attracted wide spread support, with a petition attracting thousands of signatures from locals and musicians.

Read more on today's decision here

INTERVIEW: "I'll sleep tonight...it's amazing!" says Lancaster pub landlady after live music stage is saved - Beyond Radio

And the background to the story here:

INTERVIEW: Music fans rally around Lancaster pub landlady after council orders her to remove stage

Support mounts as Lancaster pub bids to keep under-threat live music stage