Good news re the Berney Arms

[ranworthbreeze]

I had a letter from the Broads Authority this morning because like a number of forum members had objected to the change of use at the Berney Arms (to be turned into a private dwelling). It has been rejected.

The letter directed me to their website for the ruling. Please see the following link.

http://planning.broads-authority.gov.uk/online-applications/simpleSearchResults.do;jsessionid=DC18E2B71FC5DF8042B9B78ADED52D2A?action=firstPage

Regards

Alan

Edited October 7, 2015 by ranworthbreeze

[JawsOrca]

Yay well done BA (and thanks for watching the forum!)  

[BroadScot]

Hi Alan,

I have just received a letter also. Maybe, I am wrong here, it happens! But could the BA not have replied to our Email addys and saved all the 39p postage and envelopes etc?

Iain.

[Viking23]

A Great thank you to all those folks that took the effort to make their objections, that enabled the Berney Arms to continue as before.

Thank you.

[BuffaloBill]

Well done to the Planning Dept 

[Greatplum]

As as a planner, I hope they don't appeal this!

[Viking23]

I see you are having a great "scout" around the forum, what better way to find out what has happened over the last 15 years.

Enjoy the forum and indeed your short break.

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2015 by Viking23

[Soundings]

Good news yes. But in reality, what is the point of maintaining a business premises that cannot it seems make a realistic profit? What is the likely end result?

Edited October 10, 2015 by Soundings

[Greatplum]

Soundings - I don't know the pub (I recognise the name as there's a railway station of that name isn't there?) - my guess is that they will appeal and I'm not sure that the appeal will be dismissed - it looks pretty isolated. The only way it could stay open is if it's a seasonal pub, such as the one at Turf Locks on the Exeter canal near powderham..,

[Soundings]

Greatplum, you are correct, It is isolated and it struggles. I hope I am wrong but I cannot see how it can survive financially in the longer term - unless some well healed individual(s) run it as a hobby. Like you I reckon there will be an appeal.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Soundings

[deebee29]

Think I've been in the Turf Locks Greatplum....... Is that the one that the ferry from Starcross used to do trips to in the evenings? ( going back about 15 - 20 years now)

[Greatplum]

That's the one - it's inaccessible by road, so it's boat or footpath to get there!

[NorfolkNog]

Just to reiterate if I may, one of the reasons affecting the pubs viability is the expectations of the freeholder in terms of the rent as well as the asking price for the freehold. 

[Soundings]

That is indeed one of the reasons, NN, but it is only one. Even if a freehold I would not envisage that pub being a particularly good business investment. Time will tell no doubt.

[senator]

Sentimentally it is great, in reality I do struggle with the concept of forcing a business to continue to operate something that has no chance of returning a profit.

Obviously there are lots of ways to make a business non viable but the fact is no one has been able to make a decent profit out of the place in recent years and as long as the rents being asked are reasonable against land and building value why should the owner not be reasonably expected to make a profit from his investment?

Not seen sight of rents or values to make a judgement but maybe a fairer solution would be to negotiate the availability of the moorings as a bartering point for the granting of change of use. 

Guessing most of the boats on the moorings outside, both Berney Arms and BA, will sit on their boat drinking tinned beer and eating food cooked in the galley. 

 

Edited October 11, 2015 by senator

[NorfolkNog]

My colleagues at Norwich CAMRA managed to get the Berney listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). Although this doesn’t stop the pub being sold it does give the community (or interested parties basically) six months to put together a bid. However I’ve just been checking on the TW Gaze website and the Berney is indicated as under offer. It will be interesting to see what might happen. If Mr Hollocks had his application for a change of use turned down then I would suppose it’s likely that a new owner would too. By all accounts the current leaseholder seems to be making a go of it. It would also be good if Green Jack would buy it, after all they did buy the Locks when it was very run down and restored it to its former glory by installing an excellent experienced leaseholder and above all, charging him a realistic market rent.

 

Watch this space I think......(with fingers crossed)

[Poggymale]

Mr Nog I presume you may be a tad busy at St Andrews Hall next week?

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[NorfolkNog]

Mr Nog I presume you may be a tad busy at St Andrews Hall next week?

 

 

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The Norwich beer Festival is one of the best in the country and no doubt there will be a mouth watering selection of beers on offer if previous years are anything to go by.

 

Sadly I am stuck up here in the land of flat caps, ferrets and John Smiths but would love to be there!

 

[JennyMorgan]

Must be like hell on earth, and they all speak funny!

[NorfolkNog]

Must be like hell on earth, and they all speak funny!

Arggghh, tharse not wrong theer lad, reet strange lot!

[BroadScot]

Must be like hell on earth, and they all speak funny!

I always assumed Norwich was like that JM 

[Poggymale]

Very naughty! The beer festival is a great draw to our fine city & well worth a visit if that's your bag and you are in Norfolk next week. People come from all over the country to visit & not that far from the Yacht station to boot!

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[NorfolkNog]

Could not agree more, our friends at Norwich CAMRA certainly know how to put on a festival  

 

http://www.norwichcamra.org.uk/festival/fest2015.htm

 

PS - sorry going off topic somewhat 

[LondonRascal]

Sadly, I really don’t see how this can continue as a pub – it has done valiantly over the years to stay but its location really is key to both its quirkiness and also likely will be its undoing for good in time.

Recently I was able to visit the pub during ‘lads week’ and I have to say, it was a lot better than expected.  The staff were very approachable and friendly but it was also the case we ate there – I’d guess there were maybe 10-15 of us all ordering a variety of dishes which were all able to be cooked and served together and I think everyone enjoyed what they had.

The atmosphere really was something special and you did have the feel of being in an ‘out of the way’ tavern.  But other than us, there was a couple who also ate and drank so their trade was good that evening but if not for us ‘lads’ would have just had two people to serve.

Now one might say that this mix of a good homely atmosphere, good fresh home cooked food and a good variety of drinks that are well kept is what a pub needs to work – word of mouth spreads the news and more and more people make a point of stopping off.  I doubt this is going to work here though.

The problem as I see it is just the society we are living in – any city and village in the country is seeing pubs closing we are changing our habits.  We as a nation tend to drink more wine now than other alcoholic drinks and much of this is not done in a pub but at home or in restaurants.  So even in the season you are counting on people stopping either before heading over Breydon Water, or having just crossed for a drink – or a bite to eat and while some surely will, it is my guess most will continue on to wherever it is they are headed for.

I do really hope it can make a goer of things, but I fear that come 2016 we will be reading here that it is shut again and if that happens and the takings look pretty bad it might well add fuel to an appeal process to have it changed from a pub to a dwelling.

[kfurbank]

Robin,

Much of that also applies to The Locks Inn at Geldeston a pub that thrives on adversity. There was a piece not so long back on Look East showing some customers arriving by canoe all the way to the front door of the pub when it was completely surrounded by flood water and the pub was still open. The Berney needs the right tenant, but more importantly the right AND fair landlord. then long may it succeed.