Row over former south Shropshire pub set to become house

A 18th century former pub and restaurant in south Shropshire could become a residential property after its owners said the existing business was “no longer viable”.

The owners of the Coach House in the village of Norbury, near Bishops Castle, have lodged an application for a change of use for the building to convert it into full time residential accommodation.

However objectors to the scheme say the loss of the former pub would deprive the village of its “single remaining community asset.”

Applicants Mr. and Mrs. Morris, who purchased the building in 2013 and ran a thriving restaurant and accommodation business until the global pandemic in 2020, say the cost of living crisis has now left the remaining holiday-letting side of the business unviable.

The Coach House restaurant announced a decision to close permanently in June 2020, having opened to the public in 2016.

The building last operated as a full-time pub business around 15 years ago, but opened as a “pop-up” public house on a monthly-basis from 2018.

“The applicant has run a successful business at this site but recent market conditions have made this increasingly difficult, to the point where the business is no longer viable,” said a supporting statement accompanying the application.

“Due to the Covid 19 pandemic of 2020 the business shut down. However, the building has been offered as Air B&B accommodation to be hired as a whole & this continues to this day.”

Following the closure of the restaurant, the building has been available to book via online booking site AirBnB – however a submission from the planning agent said that while popular, bookings were “sporadic” and the owners would now “like to move on.”

A total of five objections to the scheme had been received after the application was made public earlier this month.

“It is appreciated that the removal of public houses from villages is unpopular but the owners of these premises have to face the reality of market conditions,” the statement added.

“It should be said that the building has not operated as a full time public house since 2010/11, some 14 years, so the reality is that the building has not been an active pub in this time and is only a pub in name only.”

The building is not listed and no changes are included in the application other than the change of use.

Shropshire Council will decide on the application in due course.