Rowley Regis Bar and Grill Gets Approval to Serve Food Inside Helicopter
The Fourways Bar and Grill in Rowley Regis has received approval from Sandwell Council to display and serve food inside a Westland Lynx helicopter. This decision was made after the initial plan, proposed last year, was rejected due to concerns about parking and noise affecting neighboring areas.
In the approved plan, the helicopter will be situated in the bar and grill’s garden, away from the road, with its platform lowered by a meter. This revision addressed the council’s prior concerns about potential increased on-street parking and excessive noise.
Before the approval, a visit from the council's highways officer confirmed that the revised proposal would not increase the overall number of restaurant covers, and thus, would not exacerbate parking issues. Consequently, a controversial new outdoor seating area for up to 60 people was removed from the revised plan.
Drawings submitted with the application depict the helicopter on a raised platform accommodating up to ten diners inside. Initial plans for this extra seating area were rejected in 2022 due to worries over additional customer influx and the impact on the pub’s car park and neighboring busy junction.
The council's previous rejection cited that the raised platform and helicopter would be "unduly prominent" and out of character for the area. However, with the revised plan ensuring the initiative would not add to parking pressures, the council granted approval.
The bar and grill is now set to offer a unique dining experience inside the helicopter, accommodating up to 10 diners at a time, with no expected increase in overall customer numbers.