A Crowborough pub’s bid to open late during two World Cup games has been turned down.

On Wednesday (April 15), a Wealden District Council licensing panel considered requests to temporarily extend the opening hours of The White Hart on the Green, in Church Road, on two occasions.

Through the use of Temporary Event Notices (TENs), the pub had been hoping to open until 4am on Friday, July 3 and until 5am on Monday, July 6.

These dates coincide with World Cup fixtures, in which England may be playing.

But concerns around the potential impact on neighbours had seen objections raised by the council’s Environmental Health team.

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In a formal objection to the TENs, a council Environmental Health spokesman said: “The White Hart on the Green is situated in a residential area.

“The premises being open for licensable activities taking place during the early hours in the morning during the working week, notified in the Temporary Event Notice received, are likely to disturb local residents, who would be expected to be asleep.”

No representatives for the pub attended the hearing, but panel members were said to have received written submissions setting details of how the events would be conducted.

Cllr Ben Cox (Lab) asked whether an objection would have been raised if the TENs had only sought permission to show the games rather than showing the games and serving alcohol.

Pollution control officer Clare Ross said: “After a football match, I should imagine people are jolly happy or a little bit upset, depending on the final result.

“It would be a lot of people moving out all in one go. Controlling that noise, whether they were sober or not, I would imagine would have the same effect.”

The sub-committee opted to refuse both TENs.

Chairman Cllr Glynn White (Lib Dem) said: “The sub-committee made their decision for the following reasons: no effective mitigation has been put forward that would ease noise disturbance within the local community, both at the events and transiting from the events.

“Whilst the sub-committee noted the documentation provided by the applicant, this was too generic and not site-specific. As the premises is within a residential area any mitigation offered needed to be site-specific and the applicants’ failure to do this was a concern.”

The panel had heard how licensing laws have been temporarily relaxed on a national level as a result of the World Cup. These changes are intended to make it easier for pubs to show most of the games England and Scotland may play in.

At time of publication, the government has said it will allow pubs to stay open until 1am to show England or Scotland knockout matches, as long as they kick off between 5pm and 9pm. Rules will also allow pubs to open until 2am for matches with kick-offs between 9pm and 10pm.

The rules would not cover the two fixtures being sought through the TENS.

The match on July 3 is due to kick-off at midnight. It could see England, if the team are the runners-up of Group L — play either Portugal, Congo DR, Uzbekistan or Colombia.

The fixture on July 6 would be due to kick off at midnight. To play in this match, England would need to come first in its group — beating Croatia, Ghana and Panama — and then win its first knockout game on July 1.

The game on July 1 would kick off at 5pm UK time, so will not require the pub to secure extended hours. It will see the winners of Group L play a third-place team from another group.

Council papers had also noted how the White Hart on the Green had put forward another TEN linked to a World Cup fixture.

This was not objected to by Environmental Health and so will be allowed to take place.

It will allow for extended opening hours during the England v Panama game due to take place on Saturday, June 27. The match is due to kick off at 10pm.