The former owner of a town centre pub has likened its controversial Covid shelter to a 'cowshed'.

Arkell’s brewery is still awaiting Swindon Borough Council’s decision on whether Rudi’s bar in Regent Circus can keep the wood and perspex shelter it put up at the front of the building during the Covid pandemic restrictions.

But, Paul Notton, who ran the popular bar in the centre of town for more than 30 years until he sold it to the local brewery a few years ago, said he is appalled at the sight of the arrangement of wood and perspex outside the building.

He said: “My wife and I owned Rudi’s Bar for 35 years and during that time we were granted planning permission to build at the front but it had to replicate the original front as it was an Art Deco building.

“We accepted this but never went ahead due to ill health.”

In fact, while Mr Notton did receive permission to make changes, he was also refused permission on at least one occasion, because his plans to put up canopies were deemed not in keeping with what was called in 2003 “a characterful frontage with fine detailing”.

This might explain his concern at the sight of the front of the bar now: “It looks more like a cowshed. I have to ask whether they’re selling beer in there or milk. I have had people stopping me in the street to ask me what’s going on and why it’s allowed.

“We want to be proud of our town. I’m astonished Arkell’s have done this, they have a long history in and around Wiltshire and I think their ancestors would be so disappointed.”

Arkell’s application for retrospective permission to keep the shelter came after a visit by the council’s planning enforcement officer, who implied that the Covid exemption to temporary structures applied to the rear of the building, not the front.

George Arkell, Managing Director of his family’s brewery said: “Over the past five years we have invested hugely in Rudi’s bar along with Shaun our licensee, with an internal alteration several years ago and covering the outside seating area during the pandemic.

“Rudi’s is a fantastic bar with a great reputation, however, like every other hospitality business in the UK the trading environment over the last few years has been extremely challenging.

"Without the covered outside space the viability of Rudi’s would be severely compromised and with that in mind, we would be hugely disappointed if Swindon Council do not support the application to sustain and improve a local business.”