Landlord plans to turn pub into homes due to rising energy bills

Plans have been submitted to convert The Gate Inn into two semi-detached homes and a garage

A landlord is planning to turn his village pub into homes after his electricity bills hit thousands of pounds a month.

Christopher Jessop, 59, has applied to turn The Gate Inn, in Sutton cum Lound, Nottinghamshire, into two semi-detached houses and a garage.

He said he went through a "horrific" time during the pandemic and sold his home to keep the pub running.

Residents opposing the plan said once gone, the pub would be "lost forever".

'Not sustainable'

Mr Jessop, who has owned the pub for four years, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service his electricity bill had increased from £500 a quarter to £2,600.

"We're having to turn lights off in the day to save electricity if there are no customers in," he said.

"A lot of the customers are older people and they're scared of going out after the pandemic.

"It's been one thing after another and I think it's the same with most pubs. It's not sustainable.

"There's a lot of opposition because everybody wants a pub, but they only want to go out at Christmas."

He said he originally wanted to turn the site into a shop, but said planning officers preferred housing.

Bassetlaw District Council planning officers have recommended the proposals be approved

If the plans are approved, he will live in one of the houses with his wife.

Eighty residents and the parish council have objected to the proposals, with one councillor describing the pub as "quintessential" in the village.

Council documents state the community is "unfortunately all too familiar" with the difficulties in running the pub, after a group of residents who owned the pub previously had to close it due to financial issues.

One resident who objected to the plans said: "The Gate Inn is an asset to the community and the village doesn't want to lose its pub.

"Further residential development and loss of community focal point will destroy the traditional character of the village."

They also raised concerns over dust, noise and highway safety.

Sutton cum Lound Parish Council and the village hall committee also objected to the plans, saying the site is not listed for development in the neighbourhood plan.

The plans have been recommended for approval, with Bassetlaw District Council to make the final decision later.