THE GRAPES - Pease Pottage
HALL & WOODHOUSE — Blandford Forum, Dorset
Hall & Woodhouse are Real Ale Brewers, being established in 1777.
Their portfolio increased in 2000 when they took over the ailing King & Barnes brewery.
However, they are rationalising their pub assets by disinvesting a number of their pubs.
APPEAL TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Start Date 30th Sep 09 ODPM Reference APP/D3830/A/09/2113917/NWF
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See the full correspondence at the Mid Sussex website - click -
08/03796/FUL
and then select the ‘Associated Documents’ twice then see the Appeal Decision Letter
HALL & WOODHOUSE — Blandford Forum, Dorset
Hall & Woodhouse are Real Ale Brewers, being established in 1777.
Their portfolio increased in 2000 when they took over the ailing King & Barnes brewery.
However, they are rationalising their pub assets by disinvesting a number of their pubs.
APPEAL TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Start Date 30th Sep 09 ODPM Reference APP/D3830/A/09/2113917/NWF
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
See the full correspondence at the Mid Sussex website - click -
08/03796/FUL
and then select the ‘Associated Documents’ twice then see the Appeal Decision Letter
25 May 10 - The site still remains boarded up and slowly deteriorating.
9 Mar 10 - The Government Inspector duly visited the site and subsequently dismissed the appeal by Hall & Woodhouse.
30 Sep 09 - The Council refused planning permission and Hall & Woodhouse have appealed, at the last moment, to the Secretary of State in respect of this refusal. The appeal is to be decided on the basis of an exchange of written statements by the parties and a site visit by an inspector. Observations on this appeal can be made to the Planning Inspectorate at - Planning Inspectorate, 3/16 Eagle Wing Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN. 3 copies of any representation should be made by the 11th November 09.
Any comments already made will be forwarded to the Inspectorate. Should you wish to withdraw or modify your earlier comments you should write to the Planning Inspectorate.
Any comments already made will be forwarded to the Inspectorate. Should you wish to withdraw or modify your earlier comments you should write to the Planning Inspectorate.
The proposal remains as ‘Part demolish existing building and erect 10 No. 2 & 3 bedroom houses with associated parking.’
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THE GRAPES - Pease Pottage
HALL & WOODHOUSE — Blandford Forum, Dorset
Planning Application 08/03796/FUL
Hall & Woodhouse are Real Ale Brewers, being established in 1777.
Their portfolio increased in 2000 when they took over the ailing King & Barnes brewery.
THE GRAPES - Pease Pottage
HALL & WOODHOUSE — Blandford Forum, Dorset
Planning Application 08/03796/FUL
Hall & Woodhouse are Real Ale Brewers, being established in 1777.
Their portfolio increased in 2000 when they took over the ailing King & Barnes brewery.
However, they are rationalising their pub assets by disinvesting a number of their pubs.
We question the ‘unviability’ of The Grapes as decided by Hall & Woodhouse!
Please write to -
Sarah Guess, Senior Planning Officer, MSDC, Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1SS
or
E-mail SarahYG@midsussex.gov.uk
Before the 27th March to register your dissatisfaction in respect of the closure.
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Set out below is the chronological sequence of events in this action -
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Please write to -
Sarah Guess, Senior Planning Officer, MSDC, Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1SS
or
E-mail SarahYG@midsussex.gov.uk
Before the 27th March to register your dissatisfaction in respect of the closure.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set out below is the chronological sequence of events in this action -
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15 May 09 - Learnt that Hall & Woodhouse declined to help as it would conflict with their development of The Black Swan! Slaugham PC also advise that there has been no further planning application from the brewer.
12 May 09 - North Sussex CAMRA suggested The Grapes being a candidate for consideration. Slaugham Parish Council said that they would approach the community. In order to make this even more attractive consideration of a sub post office / shop integral with the pub would serve the community even further. Twofour Broadcast to approach Hall & Woodhouse for their help in saving this pub for the community as the closure had left the village with a serious lack of a community gathering place.
1 May 09 - The People’s Pub for UKTV (Twofour Broadcast Ltd) contacted CAMRA regarding their TV series featuring communities saving their local pub. They were interested in those pubs that were closing or had closed. The idea is to work with the owners and community volunteers to run the pub for one month all costs being for the account of Twofour Broadcast. Subsequent to this the community would have the choice of negotiating a lease or even purchasing the pub.
One episode follows The Greyhound in Grizebeck, Cumbria that has been saved in this way.
31 Mar 09 - Planning application refused - full details
13 Mar 09
Letter being prepared to oppose the redevelopment. Interestingly, The Black Swan is listed in ‘Yellow Pages’ as a restaurant and not a pub!
13 Mar 09
Letter being prepared to oppose the redevelopment. Interestingly, The Black Swan is listed in ‘Yellow Pages’ as a restaurant and not a pub!
6 Mar 09
Venue booked for the 13th March to discuss with Slaugham Parish Council way forward. Allen, Rex & Aidan, our planning officer to attend.
2 Mar 09
Slaugham Parish Council advised the consultation period has been extended to the 27th March 09
28 Feb 09
Linked Slaugham Parish Council to the CAMRA website to download various information to assist in our campaign, including details of the Sustainable Communities Act.
26 Feb 09
Attended the meeting. Planning Application to demolish The Grapes except for the existing frontage and to erect ten two and three bedroom houses. Deadline for objections is 6th March. Will try to get the deadline extended.
There has been little publicity about this application. Hall & Woodhouse state that the pub is ‘unviable.’ They say the alternative is The Black Swan. The Black Swan is essentially a gastro pub and H & W have spent some considerable money on the restaurant etc; the clientele coming from outside the area. The Grapes had a darts team and also fulfilled the village requirements of a friendly place for a chat with friends. No such facilities have been provided at The Black Swan! To our knowledge no expenditure has been made to The Grapes to enhance the inventory. The tenants of The Grapes were given just five weeks to quit.
We understand that ‘change of use’ can only be approved if the applicant can show that the pub is not viable. One way to test this is to put the pub on the market to see if a potential buyer can make a success of it. A property will always be more appealing if it is still operating; not closed and boarded up!
NB
To our knowledge The Grapes has not been offered for sale until very recently - it features on the Crickmay adverts, back page of the Feb/Mar issue of Business Matters. It also appears on their website - freehold £500K. In response to our letter of the 26th June 08 enquiring about possible closures of pubs in the former King & Barnes estate, Mark Woodhouse stated, ‘As policy stands West Sussex planning requires that we have to market a pub for three years before alternative use is allowed.’ So, how can planning permission be allowed for a ‘change of use’ for The Grapes when the pub has been closed for less than a year?
Mark also said ‘Eating out is a way of life and if pubs are to take advantage of this they need scale for their public areas (the consumer wants comfortable and spacious seating - light, fresh and airy) and of course space for commercial kitchens and support areas.’ This does not seem to include the traditional British community pub!
In the January 09 issue of the CAMRA publication ‘What’s Brewing,’ Mark Woodhouse said, ‘As pub profitability comes under pressure, the ability to rationalise the bottom-end of the estate by closing unviable pubs and seeking permission for alternative use is often held up by a slow-moving and bureaucratic planning system. It is surely better to have fewer pubs which have been well invested in, rather than trying to support too many. Unfortunately, planners often try to retain pubs without any regard for their viability.’
25 Feb 09
Allen Bartram & Rex Gibbons will attend the meeting tomorrow in the absence of our Planning Officer.
12 Feb 09
Slaugham Parish Council requested CAMRA attendance at their meeting on the 26th February
5 Feb 09
Application on the Mid Sussex District Council website. Will be placed before the Planning Committee on the 26th February.
3 Feb 09
Application number 08/03796/FUL. Information required.
3 Dec 08
Received notification that Hall & Woodhouse suddenly closed the pub with the intention of selling it for development. This was without consultation with the residents or the Parish Council. Both groups intend to object to the planning application. Also asked for CAMRA support. Possible radio interview.
Venue booked for the 13th March to discuss with Slaugham Parish Council way forward. Allen, Rex & Aidan, our planning officer to attend.
2 Mar 09
Slaugham Parish Council advised the consultation period has been extended to the 27th March 09
28 Feb 09
Linked Slaugham Parish Council to the CAMRA website to download various information to assist in our campaign, including details of the Sustainable Communities Act.
26 Feb 09
Attended the meeting. Planning Application to demolish The Grapes except for the existing frontage and to erect ten two and three bedroom houses. Deadline for objections is 6th March. Will try to get the deadline extended.
There has been little publicity about this application. Hall & Woodhouse state that the pub is ‘unviable.’ They say the alternative is The Black Swan. The Black Swan is essentially a gastro pub and H & W have spent some considerable money on the restaurant etc; the clientele coming from outside the area. The Grapes had a darts team and also fulfilled the village requirements of a friendly place for a chat with friends. No such facilities have been provided at The Black Swan! To our knowledge no expenditure has been made to The Grapes to enhance the inventory. The tenants of The Grapes were given just five weeks to quit.
We understand that ‘change of use’ can only be approved if the applicant can show that the pub is not viable. One way to test this is to put the pub on the market to see if a potential buyer can make a success of it. A property will always be more appealing if it is still operating; not closed and boarded up!
NB
To our knowledge The Grapes has not been offered for sale until very recently - it features on the Crickmay adverts, back page of the Feb/Mar issue of Business Matters. It also appears on their website - freehold £500K. In response to our letter of the 26th June 08 enquiring about possible closures of pubs in the former King & Barnes estate, Mark Woodhouse stated, ‘As policy stands West Sussex planning requires that we have to market a pub for three years before alternative use is allowed.’ So, how can planning permission be allowed for a ‘change of use’ for The Grapes when the pub has been closed for less than a year?
Mark also said ‘Eating out is a way of life and if pubs are to take advantage of this they need scale for their public areas (the consumer wants comfortable and spacious seating - light, fresh and airy) and of course space for commercial kitchens and support areas.’ This does not seem to include the traditional British community pub!
In the January 09 issue of the CAMRA publication ‘What’s Brewing,’ Mark Woodhouse said, ‘As pub profitability comes under pressure, the ability to rationalise the bottom-end of the estate by closing unviable pubs and seeking permission for alternative use is often held up by a slow-moving and bureaucratic planning system. It is surely better to have fewer pubs which have been well invested in, rather than trying to support too many. Unfortunately, planners often try to retain pubs without any regard for their viability.’
25 Feb 09
Allen Bartram & Rex Gibbons will attend the meeting tomorrow in the absence of our Planning Officer.
12 Feb 09
Slaugham Parish Council requested CAMRA attendance at their meeting on the 26th February
5 Feb 09
Application on the Mid Sussex District Council website. Will be placed before the Planning Committee on the 26th February.
3 Feb 09
Application number 08/03796/FUL. Information required.
3 Dec 08
Received notification that Hall & Woodhouse suddenly closed the pub with the intention of selling it for development. This was without consultation with the residents or the Parish Council. Both groups intend to object to the planning application. Also asked for CAMRA support. Possible radio interview.