Forum Topic

Brewery Tap conversion to shops

As chair of Merton's Planning Applications Committee, I reject CAMRA's claim that loss of this pub is due to Merton's planning decisions.  Changing a pub to a shop no longer requires planning permission, and the owners could have done this before seeking to convert the upper part to flats.  In any case, whether a pub does or does not have a resident manager is outside our remit as a planning authority.

Philip Jones ● 4839d1 Comments

It seems extremely obvious to me that Enterprise had a deal with a property company that was conditional on the planning permission change.  Presumably the deal was far less desirable without it.  The permission is gained and shortly after, lo, another pub has gone - no doubt to swiftly re-open as yet another chain restaurant or shop in the village.What would have happened if the planning change had not been granted is something we can only speculate about but this is not the first pub Enterprise have flogged off to property developers - the Princess Royal in Merton was killed off and is now being turned in to flats.  The planning system as a whole does not protect pubs and companies like Enterprise seem to have no actual interest in running pubs and instead just go for the fast buck.

Andrew Bowden ● 4837d