• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Friday, June 20, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New vicar appointed for churches

    New vicar appointed for churches

    Award for Eden writer

    Award for Eden writer

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

  • Sport
    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

    New vicar appointed for churches

    New vicar appointed for churches

    Award for Eden writer

    Award for Eden writer

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

    Man arrested after fleeing from police in Penrith

  • Sport
    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith teen crowned British vault champion

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    Penrith gymnasts represent North of England in finals

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    New boss revealed for Penrith AFC

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Penrith Panthers celebrate winning season

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

    Darren Edmondson leaves Penrith AFC

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Campaigners win important battle in bid to save Eden village pub

by CWH
23 May 2023
in Latest, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Residents campaigning to stop the only pub in their village from being turned into a house won an important battle this week.

On Wednesday, Eden local planning committee turned down a bid by the pub’s owners to develop it into a private residence.

Stephen and Deborah O’Donoghue had applied for change of use planning permission for the Belah Bridge Inn, Brough Sowerby, to create a market-led house.

Planning officers at Westmorland and Furness Council recommended the application be refused and were backed by councillors on its Eden committee.

Mark Lynch, planning manager, told the committee meeting at Penrith Town Hall that it would mean the loss of a “community facility” as the village only had one pub.

Mr Lynch said: “Any applicant seeking to remove such a facility has to prove three things. One, there’s no longer a need, or suitable, accessible alternatives exist; secondly, that it’s no longer economically viable; and thirdly, that the property has been unsuccessfully marketed for sale under its current use.” 

Mr Lynch said not enough clear evidence had been provided about the pub being marketed for sale, including its price. 

Councillor Graham Simpkins, chairman of the planning committee, withdrew from the table and vote, in order to address councillors as a member of the public. 

Mr Simpkins, of Brough, spoke in favour of the O’Donoghue’s being allowed to turn it into a house after  nobody had come forward to buy it.

Mr Simpkins said the couple had invested a lot of money in the pub and wanted to move on.

He said: “The people that own it can’t be held accountable forever. The place is just going to fall into disrepair. It had been marketed for sale. As a business it had struggled for some time. No approach has been made by the community to buy the facility. They did make an application for it to become an asset of community value and were not successful in that application. 

“Basically, it’s a very nice pub, and has been in the past, but times have changed. There isn’t enough business for it and if the community wants it, why haven’t they come forward with a proposal to buy it? We’ve got three pubs in Brough already.” Mike Collins, chair of Brough Sowerby Parish Meeting, urged the committee not to allow the pub to become a house. He said 88 people of the parish, representing 75 per cent, objected to the idea of losing the pub, which is currently closed.

Mr Collins told the meeting that, less than two years after it was bought and refurbished, the pub was put up for sale in 2017.

He said: “Once gone, it will never be regained. Contrary to the owners’ claims, the pub did not close because of a lack of community support.

“It closed because it lost its chef and the owners were unable to recruit another of the same standard so they opted to close.”

Councillor Neil McCall, representing Eden and Lyvennet Vale for the Liberal Democrats, told the meeting: “I live in a small village and the pub closed down 10 years ago, to much distress. If we’d let it go, it would have been gone forever. 

“The community did buy it but it took a while to get it going as you need the right people behind the scenes. If you’ve got those things in place, it can do an absolute roaring business.”

Related Posts

MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges
Latest

MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

20 June 2025
Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days
Latest

Resurfacing work to start in Shap – road to be closed for 21 days

20 June 2025
Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith
Latest

Arrests after drugs raid in Penrith

20 June 2025
New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose
News

New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

20 June 2025
New vicar appointed for churches
News

New vicar appointed for churches

20 June 2025
Award for Eden writer
News

Award for Eden writer

20 June 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

MP asks for Government help over plans to replace M6 bridges

20 June 2025
Award for Eden writer

Award for Eden writer

20 June 2025
Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

Penrith man admits possessing cannabis twice with intent to supply

20 June 2025
Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

Risks and strategies for flexible pension drawdown

15 June 2025
New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

New Kirkby Stephen shop blends retail with purpose

20 June 2025
Looking back through the archives

Looking back through the archives

20 June 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald