Proposals to convert a Gaunless Valley pub into a four-bedroom house have been drawn up.
The King’s Head, in Cockfield, closed two years ago, when the tenant landlady called time saying rising running costs forced her to shut, and has remained empty since.
The Kings Head is the latest pub in the dale set for a new life as a home, coming hot on the heels of proposals to convert the Bridge Inn at Whorlton into a house.
The King’s Head was listed for sale in May, but after seven months no offers have been forthcoming and owners FB Taverns Ltd have now applied to Durham County Council for permission to convert it into a private home.
In a planning statement Penny Gratwicke, of Planning Insight, on behalf of the FB Taverns, said: “Following two years of pandemic restrictions, swathes of outlet closures and an inflationary crisis impacting businesses and consumers alike, much of the hospitality sector remains at risk or is on life support.
“Indeed, in the UK market one in five hospitality businesses has been lost, having shut their doors permanently in the past two years amid untenable market conditions.”
She added: “The proposal would reuse an existing building within a predominantly residential area. Furthermore, given the upper floor of the property is already used for residential in connection with the public house, the use is already established to a certain extent.”
Only minor external changes to the two-storey building are proposal including removal of pub signage.
Consultant James Boshier, of Everard Cole, said in a viability assessment report, that despite the property details being mailed to 6,500 prospective clients only five viewings took place in seven months.
He added: “Trading performance of the King’s Head has been insufficient over the previous years to closure, to support a tenant, cover rent or mortgage payments or other operating costs associated with the business, despite financial aid from the landlord, which resulted in closure.”
He pointed out that within walking distance of the King’s Head there is another pub and population numbers do not support two in the same village.
Mr Boshier added: “Any serious interest shown to date has all been for alternative use to convert the existing building into residential dwellings.
“Given the period of advertising and marketing, lack of interest, previous trading history, we do not believe the property has a viable future as a public house.”
