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The embattled owner of a historic Norfolk Broads pub could be forced to shut up shop as a long-running planning dispute rumbles on. With a court date still looming, the uncertainty over the venue's future is growing by the day.
At the entrance of the Beauchamp Arms, which is discreetly located near Cantley on the southern Norfolk Broads rivers, placards have been put up blaming decisions by the Broads Authority for its financial woes.
Once a teeming haven for Norfolk Broads boating enthusiasts looking for a cool pint, the patronage of the pub has drastically shrunken. This slump can be traced back to orders compelling Raymond Hollocks, owner of the pub for 25 years, to remove static and touring caravans placed on the property adjacent to the River Yare.
Hollocks said the caravan accommodations were crucial to his business's survival after a severe decline in trade from touring boaters, who he said had "all but vanished" from the southern waterways.
The opposing Broads Authority argued that Hollocks was a violator of planning restrictions. They presented evidence that some caravans had become permanent residences in contravention of zoning laws.
The Beauchamp Arms is one of three venues in the Broads which have become embroiled in various legal battles involving Mr. Hollocks. These pressures have forced the Beauchamp Arms to operate only two days a week, although even then, very few people pass through its doors.
Noise Complaints Amid Diversification Efforts
Hollocks' application stated that he is generating diversified revenues, naming, among others, the holding of drum and bass music events, which attracted some noise complaints. He insisted that he has tried to find pathways to economic sustainability with the Broads Authority but was rebuffed.
"We are currently considering all our options," Hollocks said. "The business, as it stands, will never regain its viability since historically, 80% of our trade depended upon boat traffic, which has completely disappeared."
Trying to Adapt to a Changed Landscape
The Beauchamp Arms is one of several riverside pubs throughout the Broads but is singularly one of the most remote of those establishments. While the local plan by the Broads Authority pays lip service to the policy of preserving such businesses and ensuring their economic viability, it says that any conversion-e.g., to housing-would be considered only under "exceptional circumstances."
Hollocks explained further, "Efforts at diversification and attracting other income sources are frustrated without support from the Broads Authority. Their enforcement measures against our caravans prevent us from offering captive accommodation to visitors or even employees.
"Also, as we are not permitted to install lighting in our car park, we have little choice but to restrict opening hours, due to a risk of vehicles falling in the ditches because we are unable to provide adequate visible kerbing."
A Glimmer of Hope in Creative Revival
Francis Castelli is a well-known film director who lives near the Beauchamp Arms and has teamed up with Hollocks to do some detective work on possible avenues for revival. Castelli chanced upon the venue on a walk and grew fond of the place. Both of them brainstormed on turning it into a creative space for nurturing local talent after the renovation in 2019.
"We wanted to turn this place into a hub of the community stage where young, local talents would be showcased," Castelli said. "Then the pandemic came along, followed by the cost-of-living crisis, and all those plans flew out the window."
Castelli now hopes their joint battle with bureaucracy will galvanise more general pressure for planning policy reform to make an enabling environment for hard-pressed businesses to bring Broads back to its usually throbbing communal spirit.
Looking ahead, Hollocks is set to face a Crown Court hearing in June next year, where potential prosecution looms for his failure to remove the contested caravans.