Popular Ascot pub looks to extend beer garden

A pub and restaurant which has been a ‘vital part’ of Ascot is looking to extend its beer garden and add seating to welcome more customers.

The Thatched Tavern, a pub and restaurant in Cheapside Road, Ascot is around 400 years old.

An application to extend and refurbish the pub’s garden to create more seating where alcohol can be sold to customers has been submitted to the Royal Borough.

The opening hours would not change as part of the proposed variation to its licence and the pub will continue to operate from 11am to 10:30pm from Monday to Thursday and from 11am to 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

On Sundays, the business will close at 9pm.

All businesses need to apply for a premises licence to their council to be allowed to sell alcohol.

The conditions of a licence include ensuring public safety, preventing public nuisance, as well as crime and disorder and protecting children.

The refurbished garden area will be staffed, and CCTV will be installed to follow these rules.

In a form submitted as part of the application, the pub’s licence holder said: ““The Thatched is a vital part of the village, a friend to all our neighbours.

“We have a zero-tolerance approach to crime and disorder. We do not tolerate loud or drunken behaviour.”

In September, a new licensing policy was approved by the Royal Borough’s full council which is expected to come into force from 2026.

The policy includes tougher rules around safeguarding and public protection, encouraging pubs to take part in the ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme, although this is not a legal requirement.

But The Thatched Tavern has already implemented the scheme to ensure customers can discreetly seek help from staff if they feel they are in danger.

The licence holder also completed an online course relating to Martyn’s Law, which requires venues to assess the risk of a terrorist attack and have a safety plan in place to respond to threats.

The application added: “The [extended garden] area will have all measures in place to protect public safety.

“We hardly ever get issues and do not tolerate any breaking of the licensing rules.”