Peterborough’s Junction Hotel bosses Luke Hart and Adrian Mendo told by council to kick people off vacant block
A country council has threatened legal action to stop the popular owners of a local pub letting out-of-towners park on a vacant lot they own. But they’ve done it for years.
Upper Spencer Gulf
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The proprietors of a Mid-North pub say a “vendetta” is behind complaints from the community that have led to a council’s instructions to change how they use a vacant lot.
Couple Luke Hart and Adrian Mendo say their pub, Junction Hotel at Peterborough, is being unfairly targeted. They have for years allowed RVs and caravans to park temporarily at either of the empty lots they own next to the pub.
But the Peterborough District Council says the couple, and the previous proprietors, have been told several times about the need to change the land use to allow travellers to park.
Mr Hart told The Messenger he and partner Mr Mendo bought the pub about three years ago, and they have had continual problems about the use of the land.
“I think it might be some sort of vendetta against us, I don’t know,” he said.
“It’s been ongoing since we’ve come here.
“We pay the rates, the insurance and everything on that property, but we’re not allowed to use it how we want?
“I can understand the council is just doing their job, but we’re a tourist town – if you’re offering something to tourists I can’t see how it’s a problem.”
He said the council had told him they were getting complaints about people staying overnight in caravans or RVs “once a week”.
But correspondence between the council and Mr Hart, viewed by The Messenger, said no formal complaints had been received but they were “aware of some verbal queries made from time to time”.
Mr Hart said he had been told there were six formal complaints stacked up against him, but had no idea who they had come from.
“I just want them to give me a straight answer so we can sort this out because it will help other places the tourists go and spend money at,” he said.
Peterborough District Council chief executive Stephen Rufus told The Messenger a letter was sent to the pub’s licensees on May 6 “formally” requesting a development application be submitted to continue to use the land for parking caravans or RVs.
“The letter included the opportunity for the licensee to discuss the matter direct with the CEO of the council,” Mr Rufus said.
“To date no application has been lodged and no attempt to arrange a meeting has been made. The lack of response has resulted in council verbally informing the licensees that the matter is being reviewed and consideration is given to the potential issuing of a formal notice.”
Mr Rufus said the council had received an application from a previous publican in 2017 which had since lapsed.
He said council officers had “discussions” with Mr Hart and Mr Mendo in the interim, before the warning of a formal notice.
He said the council had not received any formal complaints about the use of the vacant lots.
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