PLANS to extend opening hours at a craft beer shop and micro bar in Stourbridge town have been approved.

Dudley Council planners have given the thumbs up to an application to permit HAUL! Beer shop and tap room in Lower High Street to open for an extra two hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

The venture, which first opened as a take-out only specialist beer and cider off-licence in August 2020 before launching a sit-in tasting area, already had permission to open from 9am until 8pm Monday to Saturday, with no opening on Sundays or public holidays.

But the new approval from Dudley's planners means it can now open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

A report by a council planning officer states no other changes were proposed and that after a consultation with neighbours, which ran until December 17, no comments were received and the report adds: "Despite objection to the proposal previously, there has been no local objection received to this application."

The council's environmental safety and health officer made no objection to the extension of opening hours and the report adds: "Residents in such locations could expect late night noise in this area.

"However, to ensure a level of protection to nearby residents other safeguarding conditions such as no amplified external music and no live music were attached to the original permission and will be re-attached to this permission.

"As such, it is considered a permanent consent could be given, especially as this is a town centre location and that it is for an additional two hours until 10pm only on Friday and Saturdays nights."

The report added that "local residents would not be detrimentally affected by the proposal" and recommended approval of the extended opening hours, subject to conditions, and permission was granted on December 20.