Penny Lane tram stop expansion rejected

Oct 24 2007 by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post

PLANS to extend the world-famous tram stop featured in the Beatles hit Penny Lane, were finally turned down yesterday.

The owners of Sgt Pepper’s Bistro wanted to add an upper floor to the restaurant.

It was opened as a bistro more than 20 years ago after being empty for years.

When The Beatles wrote the hit song, the old tram stop was used as a bus shelter and inspector’s office.

Planning officers wanted the plans rejected, saying a roof extension would spoil the view of nearby St Barnabas Parish Church.

But committee members voted to approve plans if better drawings were produced to show what the impact would be of the project.

At yesterday’s meeting of the city planning committee, members finally voted to reject the scheme, saying the supplied drawings had not been good enough.

Committee chairman Councillor David Irving had proposed at a previous meeting that the council should try to help bring the building back into use, following its closure as a restaurant nearly three years ago.