Council approves conversion of Filey pub into five-bedroom residential property following ‘downturn in trade’

North Yorkshire Council has approved the conversion of The Dotterel pub, which is located adjacent to the A165 Dotterel Roundabout, into a five-bedroomed dwelling which will retain the car park.

The applicant, Gary Riddiough, sought permission to convert the existing manager’s living accommodation, the letting bedrooms, public house, and restaurant into a single dwelling.

The plan received no objections from the Highway Authority, Reighton and Speeton Parish Council, or the council’s environmental health team, and no representations were received from members of the public.

Council policy states that the loss of the pub – which was regarded as a community-use building – could only be permitted if it could be demonstrated that the facility was no longer required, if there was a replacement facility of at least equal quality, or if the proposal would result in the “significant enhancement” to the community.

According to a council report, the site has now been on the market for seven of the last eight years due to the continued downturn in trade and business losses, most recently due to the Covid pandemic and increased fuel costs.

It also notes that the pub was “clearly dependent on tourist traffic” with the local community not large enough to sustain the facility outside of the tourist season

Given the unsuccessful marketing, the council concluded that there was no reasonable prospect of reuse as a pub or a community facility and that it would be “difficult to resist the principle of the change of use” to a residential dwelling.

The planning authority concluded that the proposal would not have an unacceptable impact on the amenity of neighbours.

The conversion of the pub was approved subject to conditions on Friday, June 2