The Planning Inspectorate rejected a bid to turn The Angel Inn in Debenham into a residence, preserving its pub status.
Mrs. Stacey Paine made the request to change the pub. The town council planning group talked about it back in September. They missed a deadline, so the Inspectorate decided. The council did not want the pub to change either.
People in town really pushed back against the idea. The council promised to fight for the pub in court. Someone else tried this before, back in early 2021. The council said no then, and so did the Inspectorate.
This time, the Inspectorate asked some key questions. They checked if the change made sense and how it would hurt the old building. The Inspector said the pub sits near other shops. It makes the town look good and feel alive.
The pub looks a bit run down but still seems cool. It has a lot of history and charm. The Inspector agreed with the council members here. She said that the person did not prove it cannot be a pub. Another business could still use it.
The sales price of the pub might have been too high. The report also said that the pub was not even advertised as a running business. The Inspector stated that the Angel could be different. It could add a good thing, despite other businesses.
The Inspector said the community liked this pub. It could be popular again if they reopened it. Losing it would mean fewer fun things in the village. The village might then become less attractive as a place to live and visit. The Inspector’s report talked about the history of the pub.
Converting the pub into a house would make a large impact. The long history matters. The old pub should stay as a pub. Losing the pub’s long history hurts the building’s importance.
The pub’s historical purpose would disappear. It would not work the way it should and it would diminish community life. The Inspector shut down the request to turn the pub into a house. They also said the council does not need to pay any costs.