Future of village's only pub to be decided

Controversial plans to reduce the size of a village's only pub to make way for guest bedrooms and build six homes on the site have been recommended for approval.

The Stody Estate's bid to alter The Hunworth Bell, known as The Hunny Bell, near Holt in Norfolk, has been met with dozens of objections after it emerged two years ago.

Campaigners worry that reducing the size of the pub, which has been closed since May 2024, will affect its future but its owners say the changes will make it viable.

A decision will be made by North Norfolk District Council members on Thursday.

The 300-year-old Hunny Bell has been designated an Asset of Community Value (ACV), meaning it must remain as a pub.

The Stody Estate want to reduce the bar area to make four guest bedrooms and also plans to construct six homes, including two affordable properties, on parts of the car park.

Since the pub closed, villagers have been fighting to see it reopened and a fundraising campaign managed to raise £750,000 to purchase it, but this was rejected by the Stody Estate.

An assessment of the pub as part of the owner's application concluded it would be an unviable business without the guest bedrooms.

The Campaign for Pubs disagrees and the organisation has written a letter of objection urging the council to block the move.

It said: "If you wanted a public house like this to survive and thrive you would not reduce the size of the pub and the number of parking spaces."

The plans were also opposed by Stody with Hunworth Parish Council but it was now in support.

The parish council said in its comment to the district council: "Residents requested that Stody Estate do the work on the pub as quickly as possible so that the Hunny Bell can reopen and be back at the heart of the local community."

A decision is due to be made by the district council's development committee.

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