TWO brewers hoping to open a pub in Ruthin are urging resistant residents to see the positives.

In a collaborative effort, brewers Richard Green from Cwrw Iâl in Eryrys, near Ruthin and Doug MacPherson from Dovecote in Denbigh have submitted a planning application to Denbighshire County Council to change the use of 39 Well Street, Ruthin into a micropub.

This was formerly the site of Vale Carpets, which two years ago moved next door to number 40.

Mr MacPherson said: "We're having some planning issues at the moment, but I think it's important to see the positives that having a high quality pub could bring to Ruthin."

The application has been met with objections; in a public consultation, residents raised concerns about the impact of drunk patrons, anti-social behaviour and noise pollution.

The council's public protection technical officer, Sean Awbrey, also flagged potential pitfalls.

In letter, he stated: "I have concerns over the potential for people noise from the premises affecting adjoining residential properties."

In response, Mr MacPherson said: "There will be no jukeboxes, no live music and no game machines. We want to sell a good quality product on limited operating hours rather than help people get drunk."

A letter aimed at residents submitted to planning, the brewers note their intention to open from 3pm until 9pm on a Tuesday, 3pm until 10 pm from Wednesday to Friday, noon until 10pm on Saturday and from 2pm until 8pm on Sundays.

Mr MacPherson stressed: "What we want is a nice, social hub like the Mold Ale House, the Albion in Conwy or the Bay Hop in Colwyn Bay.

"These pubs have been very successful for their communities, Mold has definitely thrived in the two years since the Ale House opened and there's all kinds of niche shops that have sprung up around it."

Ian Saunders, former CAMRA regional director for Wales, defended the application.

He said: "I think it's important that ale drinkers are connoisseurs who tend not to be associated with anti-social behaviour.

"They also tend to benefit the area financially by drinking local ale and put money back into the economy by spending at shops, eating at restaurants and using hotels.

"I think it would be a benefit to the community and help create more jobs overall."