Paul Hollywood’s wife Melissa tells of ‘unforgivable’ insults as plans to turn pub in Smarden, near Ashford, into house approved
The Celebrity Baker's family got the decision they wanted, but some villagers said 'shame on you' to Hollywood's tearful wife, Gabriel Morris reports.
Transcript
00:00A quintessential English village near Ashford and on Smardon's High Street is the Chequers
00:05pub. It's been here since the 14th century and is now owned by this celebrity baker's
00:10wife's family. But at a planning meeting last night, permission was granted to turn
00:15the Chequers into a house. The family says the business is no longer financially viable.
00:22Unfortunately the pub cannot survive on people drinking once or twice a week. It needs a
00:26steady flow of locals using it regularly for meals and other social activities. Unfortunately
00:32the last six months has shown us the worst in people's behaviour. The personal insults
00:36and attacks have been unforgivable. We have owned and run the Chequers Inn for nearly
00:4117 years and put our heart and souls into it. Ask yourself, would you work a 12-16 hour
00:46shift every day just to make a loss and would you do it if you were 80 years old with a
00:51life-threatening heart condition? She was supported at the meeting last night by her
00:54husband Paul Hollywood. She's been the landlady of the Grade 2 listed pub for the past 16
01:00years. But at the other side of the chamber, villagers crying out for this pub to stay.
01:05First and foremost, the Chequers is a business and it should be valued and sold for its worth
01:10as a business. An industry expert who specialises in valuing pubs said that the accounts show
01:14that run differently, the Chequers could prosper as it has in the past. Three separate people
01:19have put forward substantial offers to buy the Chequers. None have been accepted because
01:23the owners want more. And to get more money, they want the Borough Council to turn a Grade
01:272 14th century heritage asset into a residence. The committee voted to approve the application
01:34with seven in favour and five against. Villagers quickly heading home, knowing the owners of
01:40the Chequers will have several years to implement the change of use. But it could still remain
01:45a pub if another owner can be found. Gabriel Morris, near Ashford.