New plans could mean permanent closure for The Plough on the Hill near Berwick

Robert and Sarah Kingsley have lodged a planning application seeking permission to convert The Plough on the Hill at West Allerdean, near Berwick, into a home.

The venue opened in September 2017 following a £1.3m revamp with Masterchef: The Professionals winner Gary Maclean at the helm in the kitchen.

By April 2019, due to a combination in a reduction in footfall and significant uplift in the rateable value of the property, the business entered voluntary liquidation and closed.

A five-year lease to reopen the pub was agreed in March 2020 by Inn Trade Solutions Ltd and Alan Newton but then Covid struck.

It has been marketed for sale over the past six months with no expressions of interest and the owners contend that it is no longer viable as a pub.

A planning report on the couple's behalf states: 'The former public house has repeatedly failed as a business since 2019.

'The building has remained disused and vacant since March 2022 despite extensive marketing, including being put to auction for sale.

'The owners are now facing significant financial hardship whilst the property and business remains without a leaseholder in place whilst still occurring significant costs from standard charges.'

They want to convert the venue into a single residential dwelling, along with the reinstatement of a former side extension and the raising of a section of roof height to provide a comfortable family home.

The beer garden associated with the former pub would be utilised as a private garden.

Shoreswood Parish Council has not objected but queried what will happen to the caravan park on the same site, approval of which was granted because it was linked to the pub business.

Neighbour Cherylyn Stevens, in a letter of objection, adds: “Whilst it is always a shame to lose a local business if it is not viable then something else must be done.

"I feel that a residential property is probably the only option and have no objections in principal.

"However given the size of the existing footprint is it really necessary to extend the building further to the side for more bedrooms.

“I live across the road from the pub and extending out to the side will block our view across the fields which is one of the reasons we bought our house and a view we enjoy on a daily basis.

“Whilst we are not locals we have become very much a part of the community and the old pub is very fondly remembered by many people. When it was altered in 2017 there wasn't a lot of the original historic building left so it does seem a shame to change it some more and possibly lose a bit more of this community’s history.”