by Alan Quick

MORE than 160 letters of objection have been lodged against a village pub being turned into a private home.

The pub is the Mare and Foal at Yeoford which has a history going back at least 150 years. It used to be an hotel and used to sell petrol from the pumps outside.

Current owner and licensee is Trevor Sawtell who moved there with his partner nine years ago from the Isle of Wight where he had owned an hotel, having previously worked with Moorlands Brewery at Abingdon.

Mr Sawtell is now applying to Mid Devon District Council for change of use to a residential dwelling, saying that he has been trying to sell the pub since June 2013, first at £500,000, dropping to £425,000 then, last year, to £400,000 but with no success.

In 2014 the pub was designated as a community asset. Documents with the planning application say that "it is with considerable reluctance" that Mr Sawtell seeks to change the pub into a private house "on the basis that the property is no longer financially viable as a community facility or a public house."

At present people have until July 11 to submit comments to the district council with August 14 being set as the deadline for a decision with the planning committee meeting on August 9.

However, at a packed meeting of Crediton Hamlets Parish Council in the Council Chamber, Market Street, Crediton, on Monday, July 3, the meeting was advised by Mid Devon District Council chairman, Cllr Peter Heal, that due to the depth of public feeling about the planning application, he would “call in” the application.

43 OBJECTORS

There were 43 local residents at the parish council meeting and a number expressed strong views about the application.

Carl Wholey, speaking on behalf of village residents, said: “We are aware that the Mare and Foal has had offers from would-be purchasers who hopefully wish it to remain a public house and, indeed, I think we are joined tonight by another couple who wished to make an offer, but were just beaten to it by the previous offer last week.

“I know the economic climate is difficult, but we believe that the Mare and Foal is seen as a viable business under the correct management and that the notion of this once central heart of the community being lost to the village forever by being turned into a house should be so strongly opposed that the issue does not come back on anyone’s agenda for the foreseeable future.

COMMUNITY ASSET

“I know that the community has the support of the parish council, which was made clear through its response to the appeal made against the listing of the pub as a community asset back in October 2014 and I would ask, once again, for the council to support us in helping secure this important community asset for the good of the village.

“Please object to the change of use of the Mare and Foal to a dwelling and call for the application to be heard by the MDDC planning committee.”

One speaker at the meeting said that the pub could be made a going concern and gave examples of others in the area which were thriving.

One person said: “We have a publican who hates the public”, who added, “a happy smiling face would double the income”, adding that every club which met there had been “scared away”.

There was a great deal of discussion about the community asset listing and the council chairman, Cllr George Mortimer, sought to clarify the position.

EXPIRED

It was established that the community asset listing had expired after no expressions of interest to purchase the public house had been forthcoming when the asset listing was still current.

Cllr Andy Cole proposed an extension to the planning consideration period and that a public meeting be held in Yeoford with the MDDC planning officer (Simon Trafford) present to answer questions about the plan.

This suggestion was passed by council and it was also noted that the applicant’s agent might like to attend.

The parish clerk was asked to arrange the meeting and also to publicise it when a date had been confirmed.

The meeting also heard that an appeal fund to buy the public house had been started.

HEARTENED

A letter, dated June 30, was recently received by MDDC from Nigel Cant Planning, which reads: “I have been asked to write to you on behalf of the applicants, Mr Sawtell and his wife, in response to the very many letters of representation that have been submitted by more than 200 local residents who all express concern about the possible closure of the pub and loss of a community facility.

“My clients are fortified and heartened by this widespread and positive response.

“My clients respectfully point out that if only half of the people who have written letters of concern were to attend the pub just once a week with a friend and buy two drinks each, then the pub would be a viable and profitable business.

“Put another way, if local people are as concerned as they say they are in their letters, they should make more and regular use of their local pub.

“A number of representations refer to the landlord (applicant) and his attitude towards some customers, this is not a land use planning consideration but the comments reinforce a suggestion that under different ownership the business my have considerable potential for expansion of trade.

“The lengthy marketing exercise has proved this not to be the case.

“The property remains on the market very actively with a local firm of commercial chartered surveyors who have also been made aware of the local support for this facility and will advise any prospective purchasers accordingly.”

The property comprises a substantial three-storey building, the ground floor providing a series of public rooms including a public bar area, a lounge bar/restaurant, function room, pool room and a skittle alley. In addition there is a lounge, two sets of male and female toilets, a large catering kitchen and various store-rooms.

Externally there is a storage building, double garage, smoking shelter, landscaped garden which includes a children’s play area, a boules piste and a car park capable of accommodating 30 cars.

Enquiries about building on part of the car park/garden areas have been discussed with MDDC in the past and viewed as “favourable” Mr Cant outlines in a previous letter. Saying this, he states that some of the area is in a flood plain.

MDDC’s Local Plan, Part 3, Development Management Polices, Policy DM25, states that where such a premises as a pub or shop is proven “no longer economically viable, including community uses, will applications for alternative use be considered acceptable.”

Mr Cant states in one communication that the opening of the community hall, with bar facility and kitchen, meets local community needs as an alternative.

Local competition is listed by Mr Cant, including the Old Thatch at Cheriton Bishop, the New Inn at Coleford and the Cross Inn at Copplestone.

However, the latter is said to have suffered some periods of closure in recent times.

Mr Cant says that the owner of the Mare and Foal has taken the decision to seek change of use, “with considerable reluctance”.

To view details of the planning application (17/00932/FULL Change of use of public house to dwelling | Mare and Foal The Village Yeoford Crediton Devon EX17 5JD), visit the Mid Devon District Council website: www.middevon.gov.uk .

• Do you have a view on the change of use plan for the Mare and Foal from a pub to residential?

Share your views with fellow “Courier” readers. Write a letter, suitable for publication and with your name and address, to: The Editorial Manager, “Crediton Courier”, 102 High Street, Crediton EX17 3LF. Alternatively email your letter, with the required information, to: [email protected] .