11/00713/F - Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk

Parking
There is adequate parking on site and scope to extend this if parking became an issue. It
has never been fully occupied in recent years.
Transport
The property is in a rural area with sporadic bus/public transport and customers are unlikely
to visit the public house by bus. There are not believed to be any taxi firms close at hand
likely to be able to give a short notice local service.
Multiple Use
The property has tried to be a multi-use venue – bar, restaurant and bed and breakfast. The
business is not viable on that basis. There is already a shop in the village and not sufficient
trade for a second from the limited local and passing population.
Competition Case Studies
The majority of rural public house businesses are experiencing limited trade.
Those in the centre of large settlements have a greater catchment population and do better
than those in the smallest villages such as Three Holes. Other public houses doing well are
generally up market and food led, and a destination property where people are prepared to
drive several miles for particular quality or service, but there is only limited demand at that
end of the market, and this sector of the market is already served in the area by for example
the Crown Lodge at Outwell which provides fine dining, sports facilities, accommodation,
function rooms and bar, as a result of very significant investment in better economic
conditions, exceptional personal goodwill of the owner built up over many years and it is
within a much larger village.
Large speculative investment in such a poorly trading property as this is not viable or likely to
produce a return.
The Business at Present
The business is currently not trading having shut its doors recently when, again, the
licencee, who was occupying on a rent free basis, could not afford to continue operating and
left. The freeholders have given significant support to all the recent occupiers by way of
reduced or waived rents, as set out in the Planning Statement. There is just too little support
from customers to provide a viable trade. These occupiers have tried varied opening times -
even to the extent of all day 7 days a week by some, and varied food offerings but it has just
led to little effect on sales and revenue. The business has claimed the allowable rate reliefs
to reduce costs where possible.
11/00630/CU Development Control Board
25 July 2011
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