HOPES of saving the Foxlydiate as a community asset now rest with Bromsgrove planners after owner Whitbread declared it was a ‘hotel’ rather than a pub.
Furious County Councillor Robin Lunn (Lab, Redditch North) immediately hit out, saying: “It’s the same old story; residents in theory can have a say but once again everything comes down on the side of large companies and developers.”
Bromsgrove District Council’s all powerful Cabinet was due to debate the issue of declaring the popular public house a community asset on Wednesday evening when news came through that Whitbread had changed the legal status of the building to a hotel, said Coun Lunn, leader of the Labour Group on Worcestershire County Council.
This was due he said on the grounds that it had one or two rooms for people to stay in.
“What residents are trying to save is the Foxlydiate pub and its function rooms,” he said.
“It is not a hotel and I am very sad that Whitbread feels it has to resort to a legal technicality to thwart the views of local people and the local area.
“In no way do I blame Bromsgrove council here.
“All we want is for Whitbread to sell the site, at least the part which is not a hotel, to another company who will continue to run it as a business in the current way.”
Whitbread are believed to be keen on selling the 80 year-old pub and its neighbouring Premier Inn so the land can be developed for housing.
Coun Lunn added all hope of saving the pub now rest with Bromsgrove’s planning committee rejecting the application when it comes in.
“I call on people to show their continue opposition by objecting to the current planning application, and preserve this current local service,” he said.
