Burnley's Ram Inn pub gets approval for new outside bar

The Stonegate-owned Ram Inn on Burnley Road in Cliviger has served pints to ramblers and residents for over 200 years, gaining listed status in 1968 due to its deep links to the county’s history.

That includes being the residence of the last known descendent of Roger Nowell, the High Sheriff of Lancashire who kicked off the infamous Pendle witch trials of 1612, which resulted in 10 innocent women being hanged.

But 400 years later, this popular countryside boozer is all set to expand outside of its four historic walls, after gaining planning permission from Burnley Council to construct a pergola and canopied outside bar.

The outside bar will replace an area that currently features children's play equipment (Image: Burnley Council)

This new feature at the Ram Inn will involve removing the current children’s play area and replacing it with a large wood-clad shipping container, which would be used as a bar serving alcohol next to the pub’s beer garden.

A nine-foot-high timber pergola will be built in front of this bar with festoon lighting, to allow the structure to be used by customers well into the evening.

While applications for historic properties like this will often struggle to get approval for external changes, Burnley planners agreed with a submitted statement that ‘the proposal will have no adverse effect on the Listed Building.’

The Ram Inn is all set to create an outside bar (Image: Burnley Council)

In part, this is because the new structure will be located in a new area adjoining the beer garden, which is located away from the pub building in a grassy area next to its car park.

The application was also supported by the use of a non-permanent structure like a shipping container to house its new outside bar.

In approving the development, Burnley’s planning officer agreed with these arguments and said the plans were ‘of an appropriate design’, while adding that a condition should be attached to any approval requiring the pub to maintain the appearance of the area.

Recommending the plans for approval, the officer stated: “The proposed bar, seating area and lighting would be easily removable and would not impact on any historic features or the setting of the Grade II Ram Inn.

"Subject to conditions to retain them in good condition and remove them when no longer required, the proposal would preserve the heritage setting.

“The proposal, subject to a condition to prevent the use of amplified music would not have an unacceptable greater impact on neighbouring amenity.”