A village\u2019s only pub looks set to stay open in a smaller form after developers dropped controversial plans to turn the whole building into a house.<\/p>\n
The Hare and Hounds in Northbourne, near Deal, closed in 2024 after \u201cyears of financial struggles\u201d and had faced the threat of being converted into a home, sparking strong opposition from residents.<\/p>\n
The Hare and Hounds in The Street, Northbourne, Deal. Picture: Google<\/p>\n
Now, a fresh planning application has been submitted which, if approved, will keep part of the building as a licensed premises.<\/p>\n
The latest scheme comes after a previous bid to scrap the pub entirely was withdrawn last year following a strong backlash.<\/p>\n
Under the new plans, the drinking area would be reduced to seat more than 30 customers inside, with extra space in a beer garden.<\/p>\n
Developers say this smaller set-up could finally make the business sustainable, provided neighbours use it.<\/p>\n
The redesign includes replacing \u201cpoor quality\u201d rear extensions with a smaller flat-roofed section, adding a pitched-roof side extension, and cladding parts of the exterior in timber to match the conservation area.<\/p>\n
The work would also create a new rear dormer and improve the building\u2019s general condition.<\/p>\n
It reportedly suffers from roof leaks, damp, and a lack of central heating.<\/p>\n
Villagers previously called for the Hare and Hounds to be saved and said it was a ‘cornerstone’ for the community. Picture: Natalie Christie<\/p>\n
Applicant Matthew Lawrence says the changes are needed to \u201csecure a sustainable future\u201d for the building, which has seen five landlords come and go over the last 12 years without turning a profit.<\/p>\n
Architects Red House Design, the firm representing Mr Lawrence, states the pub has failed under five landlords due to high running costs and low trade.<\/p>\n
Their revised plan keeps a smaller bar with space for over 30 customers plus a beer garden, which they argue will be more sustainable if supported by locals.<\/p>\n
They say the scheme also includes renovations that will improve the building and enhance the surrounding conservation area.<\/p>\n
The pub was previously owned by a group of residents trading as Glacups Ltd between 2012 and 2024.<\/p>\n
The last tenants \u2013 who also run The Plough Inn at Ripple \u2013 say they poured more than \u00a364,000 into the Hare and Hounds during their 18-month tenure before closing it in January 2024.<\/p>\n
They said while villagers did use the pub, trade was not enough to make it viable.<\/p>\n
CGI of how the Hare and Hounds site in Northbourne, Deal, could have looked if previous plans for houses were approved. Picture: Tetlow King Planning<\/p>\n
It has since been marketed with estate agents Miles and Barr, but no offers have been received other than from those wanting to redevelop the site.<\/p>\n
However, the revised plans have still been met with some backlash.<\/p>\n
Northbourne resident Lynn Davis submitted an objection claiming the design of the new bar is \u201cso small and unattractive\u201d that it will deter use by the community.<\/p>\n
She wrote: \u201cThis is presumably so that in the future the whole building can be changed to residential, as the owner has always wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Hare and Hounds has been part of village life for centuries, first recorded as a public house in 1740 when it was known as The Horse and Hound.<\/p>\n
Over the years, it has served as a hub for social gatherings, including as the birthplace of the Hare and Hounds Players amateur dramatics group.<\/p>\n
Developers say the reduced pub space, paired with much-needed renovation and landscaping, will give the building a future that benefits both the business and the conservation area.<\/p>\n
They also insist the scheme provides adequate parking \u2013 two spaces for the new three-bedroom home and five for pub staff and customers.<\/p>\n
Dover District Council will make a decision on the application by the end of September.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A village\u2019s only pub looks set to stay open in a smaller form after developers dropped controversial plans…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":71128,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[84,3860,59,36757,191,4475,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-71127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-deal","tag-gb","tag-homes-news","tag-kent","tag-planning","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71127"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71127\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}