Vacant Ripon pub under new ownershipDevelopers appeal Lamb and Flag housing plan refusal

Developers have appealed a council decision to refuse plans to build five houses at the Lamb and Flag pub in Bishop Monkton.

The proposal was tabled by Carol and Trevor Pawson for the 200-year-old pub, which also had a bed and breakfast.

Harrogate Borough Council rejected plans for the pub back in May.

Now, the developers have taken the refusal to the government’s Planning Inpsectorate, which deals with planning disputes.

As part of the plan, two houses would be created by converting the pub itself and another would be created at the barn next door.

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A further two homes would be built at the car park at the back of the pub.

However, council officials have refused the application on the grounds that “insufficient marketing” has been done to demonstrate that the pub could not be used for community use.

Officers added in a decision notice that two of the houses on the car park are outside the development limits.

In documents submitted to the government, the developers argued that the site was not viable for any community use.

It said:

“An independent report has confirmed there is no scope for the Appeal property to be viably run as a public house. 

“The issues highlighted in that report would equally, and perhaps more so, apply to any alternative community use. 

“The only realistic potential purchasers for an alternative community use project would be the parish council and Harrogate Borough Council. The property has been marketed since 2017 and at no time has either body expressed any interest in it.”

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Housing plan for Lamb and Flag pub refused

Harrogate Borough Council has refused plans to build five houses at the Lamb and Flag pub in Bishop Monkton.

The proposal was tabled by Carol and Trevor Pawson for the 200-year-old pub, which also had a bed and breakfast.

As part of the plan, two houses would be created by converting the pub itself and another would be created at the barn next door.

A further two homes would be built at the car park at the back of the pub.

However, council officials have refused the application on the grounds that “insufficient marketing” has been done to demonstrate that the pub could not be used for community use.

Officers added in a decision notice that two of the houses on the car park are outside the development limits.

Officials said:

“Insufficient marketing has been carried to demonstrate that in the absence of any use as a public house there is no alternative community use for which the property may be suitable and the proposed use of the public house as two dwellings consequently is in conflict with Policy HP8 of the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-2035.”

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Bishop Monkton, which the Domesday Book referred to as the Tun of the monks, has seen a significant increase in residential development in recent years.

Despite new developments and growing populations, village pubs have found it difficult to survive.

At one time, there were seven pubs within Bishop Monkton’s parish boundaries but it is now currently served by just the Mason’s Arms.

Ripon city centre pub closes for ‘forseeable future’

A pub in the centre of Ripon has closed for the foreseeable future.

The Lamb and Flag, on High Skellgate, looks quiet and dark today with the pub garden fenced off.

It is unclear why the pub has closed but the owners, who took over a little more than a year ago, revealed the news in a statement on their Facebook page. It said:

“This decision has not come lightly but unfortunately the Lamb and Flag will be closed for the foreseeable.

“We would like to thank everyone for their support but at this time we will be closing.

“We will update everyone if there are any changes.”

The Stray Ferret asked the pub’s owners why they decided to close and whether it would reopen. However, we had not received a reply by the time of publication.

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Plans to turn Bishop Monkton pub into five houses

There are new plans to turn a village pub in Bishop Monkton, south of Ripon, into five houses.

If the plans get the go-ahead the Lamb and Flag, on Boroughbridge Road, could soon make way for more housing in the area.

The pub would be converted into two homes, the existing bed and breakfast would be converted into one house and the developers would also build two new houses on the rear car park.

Bishop Monkton, which the Domesday Book refers to as the “Tun of the monks,” has seen an increase in residential development over the last 50 years.

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The Lamb and Flag is a “building of interest” and sits next to listed buildings. However, the planning application says the harm to those buildings would be “less than substantial.”

Developers also say in the plans that the design of the new houses will retain the character of the original pub and the core of the building.

Harrogate Borough Council formally acknowledged the planning application last Friday. There’s no date set for when it will be heard.

Despite new developments and growing populations, village pubs have found it difficult to survive.

Nearby Burton Leonard lost a pub in recent years. The Hare and Hounds was also replaced by housing.