Plans to turn Newlands Inn into home refused by council

An application was submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) to transform the Newlands Inn, Eynsham.

The applicants, Jeremy and Ann Woodin, had run the pub since January 2009, and in August 2012, its restaurant closed due to it ‘running at a severe loss’.

A planning statement says the pub tenant went bankrupt in May 2013, with Mr and Mrs Woodin running it until it was leased in April 2015.

Plans to turn the Newlands Inn pub in Eynsham into a home have been refused. Picture: Ed Nix

The statement adds that the pandemic impacted the business and the applicants were forced not to renew their lease with the tenants in April, with the pub then closed.

The statement continued: “The whole of the hospitality and entertainment sector in the UK is suffering the same problems with businesses unable to reopen due to staff shortages.

“It is the opinion of the applicants that the Newlands Inn is not suitable for alternative uses for a community facility or service.

“The reality of the market is that demand for public houses and restaurants has dropped, and has been doing so for many years, making this property no longer viable for such use.

“The applicants are now of pension age and have an elderly parent and requires full-time care.

“The applicants now wish to retire and occupy the property with their parent for use as a residential dwelling.”

Plans to turn the Newlands Inn pub in Eynsham into a home have been refused. Picture: Ed Nix

The planning statement added that there is still The White Hart, The Queens Head and The Red Lion all within 500 metres, in addition to various restaurants and takeaways.

Meanwhile, other Eynsham pubs have closed with The Railway Inn converted into flats and The Star Inn demolished and replaced with housing.

Councillors however refused the plans to turn the Newlands Inn into a house.

A WODC decision notice read: “It has not been sufficiently demonstrated to the local planning authority that the existing use is no longer viable and is incapable of being made viable or adapted to retain a viable service or facility including as a community run enterprise.

“A robust marketing exercise has not been submitted.”

Upon consultation for the application, Will Barton – WODC’s business development officer – said: “Eynsham is a rapidly growing community and it is clear from the other comments received that there is a strong desire in the village to retain the Newlands Inn as a pub for the community.”

Oxfordshire County Council, as the local highways authority, did not object to the granting of planning permission.

To see the application, visit the online WODC planning portal, and use the reference 21/02896/FUL.