New lease of life for derelict Shropshire village pub
A derelict village pub is to be brought back to life after it was bought by a local family farming business.
The Halfway House Inn will be extended and refurbished under the proposals, which also include the creation of a community field and events pavilion.
The plans, which have been submitted for Shropshire Council, show how the pub will be split into a bar area and separate family restaurant, with a covered outdoor dining terrace and children’s playground.
The driving force behind the project is the Peakes family of Peakes Poultry, which bought the pub and adjoining Seven Stars Inn earlier this year as part of a diversification strategy.
A design and access statement by Andy Betton of AJB Design & Build says: “The proposed schedule of works seeks to carry out a complete overhaul of the premises, breathing a new lease of life into a public house which has been neglected for some time, in particular since being shut in 2018.
“The applicants are keen to ensure that the commercial aspect of the site becomes a viable and successful part of the local community.
“Once up and running their objective is to recruit a manager to run the premises, with the manager living in the first floor residence. The accommodation is currently in a poor state and this will also undergo a complete renovation.
“The new owners hope to create a warm and welcoming local pub for the community, families looking to eat out and general passing trade from the A458.”
Along with the renovation of the Halfway House Inn, the Severn Stars Inn is to be converted into a home for one of the business owners. Unlike the larger pub, it has had a variety of uses over time and was most recently a guest house.
Weddings
Mr Betton says the proposals would spare the buildings - which have sat on the A548 between Shrewsbury and Welshpool since the 19th century and are grade II listed - from falling into disrepair.
In addition, the new owners want to open a large field next to the buildings up to the community, and say it could be used for fairs, shows, exhibitions, sporting events and weddings.
The field will be accessed via a walkway to the rear of the pub, and will also include a timber frame pavilion providing kitchen and toilet facilities.
Mr Betton concludes: “The significance of the buildings involved in this application are not for debate, the main issue is how best to utilise them so that they can remain as a heritage asset within their immediate setting and benefit the wider community.
“This proposal seeks to enhance the public house that has been part of the community for 200 years and ensure its use now and for years to come, whilst the conversion of the Seven Stars Inn and outbuildings will allow a vital heritage asset to remain in use and solidify its existence for the future.
“It should be noted that without the Seven Stars Inn conversion being approved it is likely that the main building will cease to be of any realistic use and the outbuildings will almost certainly fall into complete disrepair, causing irreversible damage to the setting of a heritage asset.
“It is believed that this application successfully proves the significance of both these buildings, the need to revitalise the premises of the Halfway House Inn and the how the residential conversion of the Seven Stars is the only feasible solution to ensure the buildings’ survival.”
The planning application will now be decided by Shropshire Council.
