Battle to save Warwickshire pub heading to High Court in London
VILLAGERS are raising money to fund the next stage in their ongoing battle to save the Fox & Hounds pub in Great Wolford.
The Save the Fox and Hounds campaign group’s appeal will be heard at London’s High Court of Justice on Tuesday, 18th November.
It’s expected up to 100 supporters will travel to the capital to demonstrate the huge local support in saving the pub, which is under threat of being turned into housing.
This will be the crucial next step in a fight-back, after a devastating twist in the nine-year struggle to save the 17th-century watering hole.
The campaign group is challenging the decision of a planning inspector in December 2024 to grant owners’ Stephen Charles Allely and Jackie Harding’s appeal against Stratford District Council’s refusal to grant planning permission for the Fox and Hounds to be turned into housing.
The decision was a body-blow for campaigners who celebrated in August last year following a decision to refuse consent to convert their village pub into housing, after more than 60 supporters packed into the SDC planning committee meeting and watched councillors vote to save the Fox.
The Save the Fox campaign group isn’t just made up of Great Wolford residents but also those from several surrounding villages and the Wolfords Joint Parish Council.
The campaign has now raised more than £28,000 towards legal fees, which includes £13,345 from 102 donations using GoFundMe. Previously, £20,000 was raised from pop-up pubs during the past nine years to oppose the four planning applications.
Campaigner James van Helden, who lives in Great Wolford, told the Herald: “In addition to the £20,000 the campaign has raised to oppose planning applications for the Fox and Hounds in Great Wolford, a further £28,000 has been donated towards the legal and court fees for this judicial review in November.
“It clearly demonstrates the continuing community commitment and utter determination to stop our historic village pub being developed by the owners into two residential houses.
“This is hugely appreciated and many thanks for all these donations.
“We now look forward to the High Court hearing and for a successful outcome to quash the appeal decision and save our pub.”
He added: “If there is a successful outcome, the appeal would have to be redetermined hopefully by a public hearing instead written representations. This would allow the campaign to have our barrister present at the hearing.”
Jackie Harding and Steve Allely took over the pub in 2015 and spent £40,000 revamping the Grade II-listed building, ripping out the original oak bar and replacing it with a contemporary one, and installing a juke box.
The pair closed the pub in 2016, saying it was not a viable business, and it’s remained shut since.
But chartered surveyor and landlord David Morgan of pub valuation firm Morgan & Clarke, speaking on behalf of the campaigners, gave evidence of similar community pubs which are thriving. And villagers were able to point to many pubs in the area that are now thriving, many under community ownership.
Campaigners also detailed how the Fox & Hounds was marketed by its owners at an “unrealistic” price of £550,000, despite valuations of £350,000-£375,000. And although a group of investors, led by a villager, offered £400,000, it was rejected.
Four planning applications to turn the Fox into housing have been refused. The most recent was in August last year (ref. 23/01922/FUL) when, despite planning officers recommending ‘grant’, the SDC’s planning committee refused the application, as detailed above.
For more information about joining supporters in London or donating funds, email campaign@savethefoxandhounds.org.uk