Business · Salisbury
Pitton village pub seeks planning approval for nine guest rooms
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
The Silver Plough Inn in Pitton has submitted plans to convert unused areas of the building into guest accommodation to secure its long-term commercial viability.
A rural Wiltshire pub is seeking planning permission to create nine guest rooms in a move designed to protect the business against the rising costs currently facing the hospitality industry. The application for The Silver Plough Inn, located in the village of Pitton near Salisbury, includes plans for internal alterations and conversions on both the ground and first floors of the historic premises.
Ethan Davids, chief executive of the Chickpea Group, stated that the addition of overnight accommodation is essential to the future of the public house. He explained that many rural pubs are finding it increasingly difficult to remain sustainable through food and drink sales alone due to surging energy bills, food costs, and business rates.
The proposed development would focus on transforming disused areas of the building, including former function spaces and underutilised upper-floor rooms. Planning documents submitted to Wiltshire Council suggest that the guest rooms would function as an ancillary service to the pub, rather than operating as a standalone hotel. Guests would use the pub's main bar for check-in and access the existing facilities.
As part of the external works, the proposal includes the installation of a new staircase to serve the first-floor rooms, which would also double as a fire escape. Further planned improvements include replacement timber cladding and repainting parts of the rendered exterior walls. The applicant has confirmed that there are no proposed changes to the pub's current parking provision, which includes 37 spaces.
The planning application follows a previous refusal of a certificate of lawfulness earlier this year, after council planning officers determined that the introduction of guest rooms would constitute a material change of use. However, planning consultants representing the business have challenged this view, pointing to a previous planning appeal involving The Crown Inn in Leeds where an inspector ruled that guest accommodation could be considered an integral part of a pub's character.
If approved, the project is expected to create 10 full-time jobs, covering roles such as housekeepers, chefs, and front-of-house staff. Wiltshire Council is set to make a final decision on the application at a future date, as the pub owners look to secure their role as both a local employer and a community asset.
Source: Salisbury Journal — Salisbury · View original