Fenn Bell Inn given green light to expand zoo

The pub's zoo is home to lemurs, racoons and owls

A pub with a zoo has been given permission to expand its animal enclosures and facilities.

The Fenn Bell Inn in St Mary Hoo, Kent, has doubled as a zoo since 2017 and is home to racoons, owls and lemurs.

Landlords Andy and Kerry Cowell have been given the go-ahead for new enclosures, extended opening hours and an overflow car park.

Medway Council supported the application, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Planning committee member Gary Etheridge said: "It is an excellent facility - not only for the rural area, but for the whole of Medway.

"It's a golden opportunity for parents to take young children along for their first introduction to something slightly bigger than a kitten or a dog.

"The animals are well kept and cared for and the place is clean and tidy so I fully support this."

The application also includes a sheltered visitor seating area, a conservation room, and a keeper's lodge.

It received 58 letter of support and three objections.

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