By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Plans to convert part of a historic Gloucestershire coaching inn into holiday lets have been given the go-ahead.
Rhodri Yeandle, co-owner of the George Hotel in Newent, wants to create four holiday apartments while retaining the Church Street pub.
His proposals, which include a new access from Graces Pitch and creation of a parking area, were debated today (November 11) by Forest of Dean District Council.
The plans concern for two of the buildings to the rear of the inn.
In one of the buildings, the ground floor would be retained as toilets and covered seating as part of the wider public house.
While the first-floor function room would be converted into a one-bedroom holiday let.
The existing ground floor function room and bar would be retained.
And a new open kitchen and bar would be created to help support the provision of a simplified food offering such as pizza and pop-up catering events/food truck usage.
The existing kitchen and storage areas would be converted to a one-bedroom holiday let.
While the first-floor function room would be converted to form two one-bedroom holiday lets, both would have separate access.
Officers recommended granting permission for the plans and listed building consent.
Daniel Yeandle, Rhodri’s son and co-owner, spoke at the meeting and said the coaching inn has been a hub in the town for four hundred years.
“What we are proposing is really important to keep us going,” he said.
“It’s been at the hub of Newent for 400 years.
“It serves residents, it serves visitors to the town, and that’s what I want to carry on doing for the next 30 years as my father has.
“I don’t think it’s any secret to anybody how hard it is on the high street these days and particularly the hospitality industry.
“We’re fighting, we’re just keeping going.
“What we’re proposing is really important to keep us going.
“There is a demand for our accommodation that we have at the moment, which is why we want to include these extra four holiday lets to increase the footfall into the town.”
Francesca Rowley, who lives nearby spoke on behalf of other Graces Pitch residents.
She said they were concerned over the use of the street as a rear entrance.
“There has never been a legal right of way from the George Hotel to Graces Pitch,” she said.
“Mr Turner previously owned the land to the rear of his property at 15 Church Street, which he sold to the current owner for housing development in 2009.
“Graces Pit is a quiet residential cul-de-sac not designed for commercial traffic.
“Redirecting hotel vehicles together with late night activity would fundamentally change its character and create highway safety and amenity risks.”
During the debate, Councillor Patrick Kyne (L, Coleford) said the hospitality industry is “on its knees at the movement”.
“Pubs are closing and there’s a lot of empty shops in the high street,” he said.
“I’m a great believer in small market towns being busy, being a little bit noisy.
“And if people lived next to this facility 200 years ago, there’d be horses outside.
“It’s a coaching house, so you can’t freeze town centers because they die.
“As far as I’m aware, this is a market town centre and I’ll stress I think these places should be busy, they should be active and occasionally, within reason, they should be noisy.
“To me that means they’re alive.”
The committee voted unanimously to grant permission and listed building consent.