Licensee loses fight to convert closed pub into housing
A licensee is considering an appeal to the High Court after a local community won its fight to prevent his pub being converted into housing.
After months of legal wrangling, a planning inspectorate has ruled that Jim Sharp, licensee at the Red Hart in Llanvapley, Monmouthshire, does not have permission to change the use of his premises.
Mr Sharp had gone to Monmouthshire County Council in a bid to adapt his pub into housing, claiming that his business was no longer viable.
But the move upset locals who set up the Red Hart Supporters Club to fund a legal challenge.
After objections, the battle was taken to a public inquiry in September and this week the decision was made that the premises should remain a pub.
Mr Sharp said he would decide whether to appeal the decision before the end of the year.
"The council seems to have accepted that the supporters club has 673 members, but the club has never proved this. All they have provided is 81 letters of protest," he said.
"Whatever happens we will not be selling the pub. Four generations of my family live here."
Geoff Burrows, founder of the Red Hart Supporters Club, said: "Even if Mr Sharp stays there and we never see the inside of the pub it will now be protected for future generations.
"We are obviously thrilled with the decision and very proud to have achieved it. If there are others out there trying to do the same I would be delighted to talk to them."
The decision to protect the Red Hart has been welcomed by John Longden, founder of Pub is the Hub.
"More of these groups are popping up to protect rural pubs and are realising that the pub can offer a host of services," he said. "We're not saying pubs where business is impossible should be kept open, but they are a community asset."
But the idea that Mr Sharp had genuinely struggled to run his business is one that Gareth John, chief executive of Licensed Victuallers (Wales), appreciates having witnessed the same difficulties elsewhere.
"While it's important to preserve our pubs, many sites like this are really struggling. The required takings on a pub this size in a village the size of Llanvapley are almost impossible to generate," he said.
As many as 60 pubs have been closed in Wales since 2000, including two others in the area, the Halfway Pub at Talacoid and the King's Arms at Llanvetherine.
Related articles:
Dispute over pub closure heads to court (15 September 2004)
