Polling Station Relocated from Pub Following Complaints

A polling location situated at a pub is being relocated in response to allegations of voter intimidation. However, Craig Davis, who is the landlord of The Goodrest Tavern in Worcester, stated that the issues were caused by party supporters, not his patrons. He remarked, “We’ve supported the area and the council for years and years, and now suddenly there’s a problem,” he said, “and the pub gets the blame as always.” The polling site will be transferred to a marquee located on the adjacent Co-op’s car park. Hannah Cooper, a Green Party councillor representing the Aboretum ward, expressed her belief that voters in her area would approve of this change. She stated: “I’ve experienced people that are intoxicated, shouting and being very unpleasant – especially when I’ve been holding a dog and haven’t been able to retreat.” Ms. Cooper additionally mentioned that she and her fellow ward member, Karen Lewing, had been approached by Muslim residents in the street who expressed discomfort with using the Goodrest Tavern due to its status as a licensed establishment. She conveyed her hope that this adjustment would result in a higher voter turnout in the future. In addition, three other polling stations are undergoing relocation as a result of a city-wide review. This review commenced in August, subsequent to the city council elections held in May and the general election in July. The alteration of polling station locations will incur an extra cost of £3,685 for the council per city council election, partly attributable to the expenses associated with erecting the marquee. This report was compiled by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, an entity that covers local government bodies and other public service organizations. For more content, follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.