Buying a pub to turn into a b&b ?

hayley54321

Hi, so we have been searching for suitable bed and breakfast premises for a while with relatively little luck. What we do keep coming across are closed down pubs that have the current proprietors just living in them. We know most of these have been denied change of use to residential, but my question is, how likely would we be allowed to run it as a bed and breakfast instead? Although we don't want to run a pub as such we would also be open to the idea of a compromise whereby maybe it could be open a night or two a week to the public, as we would already be hoping to offer our guests evening meals. 

Does anyone have any experience of applying for this? Everything seems so wishy washy on the online council websites and I cant find any really relevant information. I understand we would need to pay business rates as the current proprietor has continued to do, I just cant figure out to what extent that (1) they can make you open it as a pub as well as a b&b once you're there (2) for how many hours a week ? (3) if I even need permission to go ahead with the b&b part of it, its been used as such in the past as a supplement to the pub, maybe over 5 years ago.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Savvy_Sue

I'd suggest a call to the local planning dept. If they can't speak to you, I'm sure they can point you to the local plan which may give you a clue as to the council's feelings about licensed premises.

hayley54321

I have thanks Savvy Sue,it's just likely to take a month or so for an official response and the specific information I need isn't available on their website