Otley Pub Club is asking the great pub-loving people of Otley and beyond to join us in appealing against the proposed planning application to convert the Manor House pub into residential dwellings.
At the end of this page, you will have full instructions on how you can lodge your appeal. The deadline is the 10th June, so please act promptly.
The crux of the matter is that this wonderful, viable pub has been constructively neglected over the years by owners Thwaites, with the sole intention of closing the pub and selling to a developer. It should be noted, one local brewery made a very sound and reasonable offer to buy the pub. Their aim was to renovate and re-open as the once loved community pub the Manor has always been. This offer to keep the pub, was to all intents and purposes ignored by Thwaites.
Here is our letter of objection to Leeds City Council Dept of Planning:
You can join the appeal!
We urge all pub lovers wherever you are to take a few minutes to help try to save the important and unique Manor House pub, a pub that has been serving the community in Otley for over 170 years.
Please help save the historic Manor House – object to the redevelopment plan. It will only take a few minutes of your time. Below is what to do – and what points to make. The application is here https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=SBRLBSJBHFX00
The deadline is end of Monday 10th June so time so please object ASAP!
If you have followed the saga of what has happened (and the way the community in Otley have been let down by Thwaites pubco) then you will know that they refused to accept a fair bid for the pub from an excellent Yorkshire brewery who wanted to invest in the Manor (and putting right Thwaites years of neglect) and making it a success of the pub with a refurbishment and great local beer, staff and atmosphere.
That local brewery made clear that their offer remained on the table and for Thwaites to contact them if they changed their mind and were prepared to accept the offer.
Thwaites never got back in contact with them and instead sold it to Carleton Homes, with a non disclosure agreement so we didn’t find out who the new owners were or their plans until they put in for planning permission to turn it into two houses.
Even worse, another award wining Yorkshire brewery were due to view the Manor around right at this time, then the estate agent cancelled their appointment claiming “they had lost the key” and then shortly after this, they agreed to sell the pub to developers.
This is disgraceful – and we cannot allow pubs to be converted simply because an owner wants to make more money from selling to developer – and when there was serious interest as a pub.
A community group had begun exploring the possibility of a community bid, but put this on hold as it seemed as if the pub was going to be bought by an excellent local brewery – the best possible outcome.
By the time the pub was sold, it was too late to then launch a fundraising bid.
Now we need to persuade Leeds City Council to reject the planning application to allow the Manor the chance to be a pub again, as it so clearly could be, from the interest there has been.
How to object and what to say
You can make an objection simply and quickly by using some of the content below and adding any of your own thoughts/experiences.
There are two ways you can make an objection.
- Email your objection to planning@leeds.gov.uk with the subject/reference: Objection to the conversion of the historic Manor House pub – planning application 24/02095/FU
- Register/Log in to the Leeds City Council planning portal and submit your objection on the online form. You can register here.
Please do email us to tell us you have made an objection. We’re at info@otleypubclub.co.uk
Every objection counts – please do take a few minutes to submit one.
What to say in the objection
The key points you can make are (you don’t have to make them all):
- That the Manor House is a unique and important historic pub, the most easterly pub in the town centre that serves a considerable proportion of the east side of Otley, as well as having a special customer appeal, with its history of folk music and community events. It is a Grade II listed building and a registered Asset of Community Value. It is a proper community pub and has been a favourite local pub for many Otley people of all ages.
- The Manor is a key part of a very important Otley bit of Otley history – it is named after and commemorates the Manor House that was the home of Thomas Constable, who did so much to welcome Irish refugees to Otley, helping save many lives. This is an important part of town and pub history and must not be erased simply for developers’ profits.
- The pub is very clearly viable, shown by the fact that at least three parties wanted to buy and reopen the Manor House. It also has been one of the most popular and successful community pubs in town. Owners of historic pubs and developers must not be allowed to close/destroy viable/wanted pubs simply for profit. Thwaites sold the pub to developers at a time when a second small brewery that operates pubs was going to view the pub (and then their estate agents cancelled their viewing). This clearly shows there was serious interest as a pub, by operators who would make a success of it, which means that permission should not be given for permanent destruction/conversion. Once pubs are gone, they are gone.
- If Thwaites had accepted a fair offer from a brewery, to buy and invest in it, instead of selling to a developer, it would be open again and with a great offer and local ownership.
- Thwaites had badly neglected the pub and it is disgraceful that they failed to accept the bid from a great local brewery willing to invest in it. Owners of historic pubs that neglect them must not be rewarded by selling them off for development, when others want to buy and invest in the pub.
- The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that councils should oppose “unnecessary” closures of local amenities, specifically including pubs and mist plan positively for the provision of pubs and resist their loss. Section 83 d) states “the retention and development of accessible local services and community facilities, such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, open space, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship”, Section 92 states “To provide the social, recreational and cultural facilities and services the community needs, planning policies and decisions should…guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services, particularly where this would reduce the community’s ability to meet its day-to-day needs”. On this basis alone, Leeds City Council should reject the planning application as it is contrary ‘planning positively for the provision of community facilities, including public houses.’ The closure of the Manor House cannot possible be considered as “necessary” when there have been parties wishing to buy it as a pub, showing it is entirely viable in the right hands.
- Approving this application would destroy an important part of Otley’s history, culture and economy– and a viable local pub/business – forever. The Council must reject the application.
Do include your own words/thoughts on why the Manor is important – so many of us have memories of it.
It would be heart breaking if the Council support the developers and not pub history and the local community – we need to urge them not to.
Please do get an objection in – the historic Manor House deserves a future as a pub under great ownership!
Thank you
Otley Pub Club
For any further questions or assistance, we are only to happy to help. Email us at info@otleypubclub.co.uk
