Euro 2024: Fanzone coming to Yeovil pub as new licences granted

Football fans in Yeovil will be able to enjoy the Euros in a new 'fanzone' outside one of their local pubs after a series of new licences are approved. The European Championships kick off in Germany on June 14, with England's campaign beginning against Serbia two days later.

Michael Krzyzanowski, landlord of the Great Lyde pub on Cavalier Way, applied for five temporary event notices (TENs) to create a fanzone outside his pub for the duration of the tournament, including a giant screen and a bouncy castle. Somerset Council has now granted permission for the fanzone to go ahead, despite concerns from Avon and Somerset Constabulary about antisocial behaviour and other public disorder.

The fanzone will be set up in the car park to the south of the pub, with seating for 150 people in front of a giant screen showing the matches, with space for a further 50 people within the designated beer garden area. There will be an outdoor bar servery and two front outlets provided, along with a separate children's play area on the pub's eastern side which will include a bouncy castle and other fun equipment.

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Mr Krzyzanowski laid out his intentions in a letter to local residents, which was published on the council's website ahead of a meeting of its licensing sub-committee south in Yeovil on Friday (May 31). He said: "It has been a rocky road for the pub, and me personally, over the last year with the pub being put up for sale by Palmers Brewery, the refusal of planning consent to convert the building to a special needs school, myself suffering a brain haemorrhage and subsequent stroke following a fall, and the very harrowing loss of my gorgeous daughter Amy.

"Things are now beginning to take a turn in the right direction, and I have agreed updated terms with Palmers to stay for the interim until the sale of the pub is completed. The sports bar will be used as a VIP area for sponsors, and the restaurant will be a family zone, where only adults accompanied by small children will be admitted.

"The remainder of the event will be outside. This event will mean that the pub will be fenced off and only open to ticket holders during England games.

"This allows us to keep control of numbers, noise levels and behaviour. The pub will still be open to the general public, as usual, at all other times.

"During every event, we will do our utmost to keep the sound/ noise pollution levels to a minimum and all outdoor events will be finished and closed no later than 11pm." Nicola King, the police's alcohol licensing officer, raised concerns to the committee about the ongoing disruption at the pub, arguing the fanzone would exacerbate existing problems.

She stated in her written submission: "The Great Lyde has and continues to experience sporadic disorder related to excessive alcohol disruption. The common denominator of many of these incidents is that they take place outside of the pub itself, namely in the car park area.

"On most of these occasions, CCTV has not been available, or the licensee, staff or victims have not been forthcoming in providing the police with the information necessary to secure a prosecution." The majority of the licensing hearing took place in confidential session, with Councillor Tony Lock (who chaired the hearing) seeking to avoid personal information being discussed in a public forum.

The council confirmed on Friday afternoon (May 31) that the fanzone could go ahead as planned, stating: "The sub-committee has considered the objections made by the police and our environmental protection. However, councillors were mindful that the applicant could hold the event without the licensable activities that had been applied for, and felt that the granting of the TENs ensured there were better measures in place for the event to satisfy that the licensing objectives would not be undermined."