Campaigners have turned to Eden Council for help to try and protect an historic coaching inn from permanent closure.
However, representatives of the owner, Joof Hotels Ltd, have described the move as an attempt to intimidate and say it follows a series of vexatious complaints.
At present, the Crown and Mitre at Bampton Grange is being advertised as an “ideal holiday venue for a family gathering or group of up to 24”, having previously served villagers and visitors as a public house for 200 years.
Villagers claim the present use of the property is proving detrimental to the social interests and wellbeing of the community. Resident Pete Salway said: “It is ripping the soul out of the village, because it was an important place for everyone to meet, especially during the winter.”
Together with his wife, Aileen, Pete addressed a meeting of the district authority’s cabinet to speak in a favour of an application which has been made to get the Crown and Mitre listed as an asset of community value.
After the meeting, he told the Herald: “Many villages are turning into shadows of what they once were with the loss of pubs, local shops and ever expanding holiday home ownership. What makes the Lake District special is that some parts of it are still working rural communities, but these are becoming rarer and are under increasing pressure.
“The Crown and Mitre is very much part of the cultural identity of Bampton Grange, it helps make our Conservation Area village special and has been well used by both villagers and those living on local farms and in remote homes.
“It has helped celebrate generations of christenings and weddings, hosted wakes, quiz teams, domino matches, darts and pool teams. It has been the venue for the Mardale Hunt, farmers’ discussion groups and several societies as well as being a welcoming bar to lean on for a quiet pint and a bit of company (especially in the dark winter months). The Crown and Mitre has also employed many local people over the years in its kitchens, front of house, housekeeping and administration.
“Many of the young people growing up in the village and surrounding area earned their first wages in the Crown and Mitre. There are a large number of buildings in the village that are listed and the Crown and Mitre is one of them. It has been in existence for 200 years serving travellers and villagers alike.
“The loss of this historic inn affects our village in numerous ways – its closure is akin to having the heart taken out of the village.”
Prospus Consulting, acting as agent for the owner, said in a response to Eden Council that the nomination to list the pub as an asset of community value was “vexatious”.
“The property has recently (October, 2021) changed hands and the owner has been subject to a series of vexatious complaints since taking possession. It is possible that this application is a further attempt to intimidate the owner,” the letter said.
The owner of the Crown and Mitre said: “The Crown and Mitre hotel had been on the market for a number of years. It had been closed since the pandemic.
“As is common with many such establishments it had become unviable in recent years and so it’s great to be able to save this historic building for posterity and to provide the investment it needs to give it a bright future.”
Eden Council leader Virginia Taylor said the recommendation to cabinet from the council’s lawyers was to not accept the application for the Crown and Mitre at Bampton Grange to be listed as an asset of community value.
However, she said: “Given that there is considerable local concern about the future of the Crown and Mitre I am proposing that this application be deferred to give the community group time to clarify their assessment of how the land is eligible for nomination.
“In particular, how it furthers the social interests of the local community and it must be realistic to think that such a use can continue in the future.
Ms Taylor added: “We need further details to ensure that a decision to list the asset of community value would be sound.
“We as politicians wish to support the sustainability of our rural communities and economies, but we have to follow the legal frameworks to achieve those goals.
“Should an asset of community value be put up for sale, the status confers the right for a community to delay the sale of that asset while funds are raised in the community.
“I believe that there is currently an application for change of use of the Crown and Mitre before the relevant planning authority, which is the Lake District National Park planning authority. Only the planning authority can make a decision on change of use.”
The nomination of the Crown and Mitre for asset of community value status will be reconsidered by cabinet at its next meeting on June 21.
