Pub fight Flats approved in blow for campaigners
Tinvested over 14 years of our lives in The Windmill and it took a lot of hard work from many people to make a success of it. HE writing is on the wall for “The heartbreaking fact is that for a much missed pub in south many reasons our business model no Bristol after the owners gained longer works in the venue. We’ve tried permission to convert it into flats. extremely hard to retain the building
The Windmill pub closed in March, as a pub without success. We are not before the first lockdown, and the some greedy developer trying to cash community was subsequentlyin.”unable to raise enough money to buy it. But residents pleaded with council
Now owner Bar Wars has secured lors to consider the community benecouncil approval to turn the establishfits of The Windmill, arguing it still had ment in Windmill Hill into five flats, the potential to turn a profit. and are planning to sell it along with Diane James, from Save The Windthe consent. mill, said: “The Windmill was the cen
Windmill Hill residents and local tre of our community – a safe place for councillors argued passionately that a many, a place to meet and socialise, planning committee should reject the watch films, host parties, eat, drink, application to preserve the pub as a take the family to meet other families, vital community asset. have fun and so much more.
But members heard there were no “They say the pub can’t make a valid legal or policy reasons to reject profit, but it comes with a four-bedthe application. room flat which has stood empty.
They granted approval with “heavy “It could generate an income which hearts”, with one noting there was still would more than cover the short a chance for residents to raise the askfall.” ing price. But the Bristol City Council officer
The meeting heard the owners put who recommended approval said the pub on the market for £525,000 last there was a range of other pubs within year and have since dropped the price walking distance so the owners did not to £495,000. have to demonstrate that the pub was
Save The Windmill campaign group no longer economically viable. managed to crowdfund £170,480 and The officer added that the owners have registered the pub as an “asset of had altered the plans since their first community value”. failed attempt to get planning permis
Residents accused the owners of sion in April, and the flats now proneglecting the pub and pricing it out of vided adequate living conditions. their reach, and pleaded with councilOfficers were satisfied that the flats lors to save it from conversion. would have no detrimental effect on
But Bar Wars director Mike Cranney the neighbours or on parking in the said he had spent the past 12 months street, he said. working hard with campaigners, who Councillors voted five to three to turned down his offer of taking on the approve the plans for two one-bedlease. Mr Cranney said: “We’ve room and three two-bedroom flats.