This webpage gives the relevant case history surrounding the purchase of The Old Custom House Inn, Bow Street, Langport by Huish Episcopi & Langport Religious Education and Resources Trust (Charity registration no. 1106686) which is administered for and on behalf of Langport Area Team Ministry.
It details the opposition to the proposed change of use

last updated 1200 18th February 2010

 A planning application was lodged with SSSDC on 29th October 2009, the documents viewable on their website on 13th November 2009.

http://www.southsomerset.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=1925&page_name=applicant

To view application, click "I Agree Proceed" button and then insert 09/04274/FUL in planning application box at head of page.

 Old Custom House Inn Bow Street Langport Somerset TA10 9PQ

Proposal:  (amendment on published notice, appended to The Old Custom House 24-11-09 as underlining beneath)
Demolition of a single storey lean-to extension and staircase, part change of use, and alterations and extension to premises to provide a community building for worship, business and social use

There is plenty to consider, but most surprisingly this FULL planning application is not accompanied by COU (Change of Use) application.
On page 7 of the 56 day planning application form it clearly shows that, if granted, the majority of the Old Custom House building floor space will be used for A1, B1, and D1 use, for which no current planning permission is in existence.
On Monday morning 16th November, Clive Keeble spoke to SSDC planning Case Officer Clare Alers-Hankey : the Change of Use is part of the main 56 day planning form application - please see page 7 thereof which clearly states other uses than the present A4.  Comments and objections can be made solely on the Change of Use. It is important that all relevant objections are made not later than 10th December 2009 : presumably the full planning application will be discussed by Langport Town Council at their next meeting on Tuesday December 1st 2009.
Hopefully the ultimate decision will not be taken by devolved power but go to SSDC Area North Planning Committee for consideration.  

 It cannot be stressed too strongly that it is a great pity that the Change of Use is not more transparent rather than merely part of the main application.  

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   Newsflash...........Tuesday evening December 1st monthly Langport Town Council meeting
LANGPORT TOWN COUNCIL RECOMMEND REJECTION OF THE CHANGE OF USE PLANNING APPLICATION 09/04274/FUL

Plenty of activity in December 2009 as those who have checked the SSDC planning website will have noted ; revised plans have been issued which will no doubt be further discussed by Langport Town Council at their next meeting on 12th January 2010.

The more the plans are examined the more it is evident that the retention of the now far smaller bar area (compared to existing facilities) is retained merely to try and get this major development sanctioned. Where will the money come from? LATM and their advisors choose not to disclose their business plan. How does the Bishop of Bath and Wells feel about this project which has so enraged the Langport community?

No beer store on the plans (most important for cask beer) : no facilities for any traditional pub functions such as darts or skittles. Why should the community be deprived of the very facilities for which they yearn ?

It is suggested that the planning application and revised plans (without a beer store !!) for The Old Custom House / Angel Inn will be considered by SSDC Area North Planning Committee on February 24th 2010 - fuller details as and when published.

 

EARLIER BACKGROUND DETAILS FROM 2009

The Angel Inn (latterly known as The Old Custom House Inn) has traded as a traditional Inn/Public House, since the 18th century - a court leet was recorded as being held on its current Bow Street (Langport) location in 1787. The building is Grade II listed and is within the market town's conservation area.

In late Victorian times there might have been as many as 15 outlets in Langport selling beer : however, The Angel Inn considerably pre-dates the 1830 Licensing Act which permitted ratepayers to open "beerhouses", with beer often only to be sold from a single room within the building. The Georgian Inns are historic and deserve to be preserved as working traditional community public houses.

At the start of this decade The Dolphin Inn (Bow Street) closed : attempts were made to sell the Inn - planning permission for redevelopment was refused - it remains closed. In August 2008 outline planning permission was granted for the demolition of The White Lion Inn (North Street) plus adjacent newsagents and for 24 homes plus a cafe/bistro to be built on the site. In the summer of 2008 The Black Swan (North Street) was put on the market and subsequently purchased to be opened in December 2008 as Lou-Lou's wine-bar.

Please see new (September 2009) application SSDC planning application, 09/03364/FUL  which will retain The White Lion within a larger development project.

It is essential that the considerable community benefits of a traditional Inn/Public House are retained, especially with The Custom House Inn (Angel Inn) being the last remaining inn in Langport's centre conservation area.

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Langport Area Team Ministry did not hold any public consultation prior to purchasing The Old Custom House (The Angel Inn), neither did they formally or informally apply for any change of use of the premises from a traditional Inn/Public House. Any planning application re The Old Custom House (The Angel Inn) will presumably gather many objections.

In the Western Gazette front page news article highlighted at the top of this page, Rev Hugh Ellis is quoted "The basic idea is to involve the community and see the response we will get". Surely it would have made more sense to have held discussions with the (Langport) community before going ahead with the purchase.

Nobody doubts the honest aspirations and intentions of the Langport Area Team Ministry however recent regeneration within the historic market town of Langport has only been achieved by all interested parties working sympathetically with both the town's businesses and residents.

It is understood that Langport Area Team Ministry increased their offer on The Old Custom House Inn (The Angel Inn) and outbid at least one potential commercial purchaser : it is to be hoped that the ministry realise that market value, at the present time, reflects commercial circumstances with a traditional Inn/Public House owner being at a considerable disadvantage to the Church over Unified Business Rate liability.

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Langport's All Saints (Grade I listed) church is only used for religious services one day a year : it is cared for by The Churches Conservation Trust, and is only opened for occasional use - often by St Gildas Christian Centre.. Langport's church congregation have been re-routed to St Mary's in Huish Episcopi.

Langport Area Team Ministry currently have responsibility for All Saints Hall (North Street, Langport) as well as St Mary's Hall at Huish Episcopi. It is understood that St Mary's Hall is to be sold, and that a long established and well attended pre-school playgroup is now left looking for a suitable new "home".

The Langport community is well aware that there is an ongoing need, where possible, to provide greater facilities for the youngsters : ideally through greater use of existing accommodation.

The Custom House (The Angel Inn) has through the years provided a good living to many different landlords and landladies : even in these straightened times, when pub closures are running at around 39 a week, a decent living should still be obtainable by running The Angel Inn as a traditional Inn/Public House.

In March 2008, Clive Sills ( Chairman of Huish Episcopi and Langport Religious Education and Resources Centre Trust ) attended a course " Acquiring and Managing Community Buildings " : we do indeed live in interesting times.

CAMRA are very concerned about the potential loss of The Custom House (Angel Inn) as a traditional community public house : CAMRA Somerset Branch Committee Members will be kept updated by this webmaster.  

Three important buzz phrases for the weeks ahead - "material change of use" , "primary use" , and "intensification of use".

The latest press report appears in The Fosse Way magazine 

On Tuesday May 5th Rev Hugh Ellis, at the invitation of Langport Town Council, gave a presentation to the town councillors to explain the aims and plans behind the purchase of The Angel Inn ( The Old Custom House) by Langport Area Team Ministry. Rev Hugh Ellis attended in company with six others (including Huish Episcopi Church Warden - Clive Sills - who has other "outlets" for his energy)  The presentation was attended by Clive Keeble who recorded (on tape) the words of Rev Hugh Ellis so there can be no misunderstanding about any details.

The presentation could hardly be expressed as style over content, because all those who have subsequently listened to the tape describe it as "waffle" without any meaningful accurately costed explanation about how the Langport Area Team Ministry intend to fund and run their new concept "centre".

The PCC intends to establish a community centre, "to support vulnerable groups in the wider area", and "to further the aims of a charity set up 150 years ago to educate christians in the christian faith" - the PCC are trustees of this charity and have ongoing responsibility to continue its work.

The PCC hope to open "a place of welcome and hospitality", a cafe - the PCC considers that one of Langport's "eateries" might care to open a "franchise" (concession) to this end. It is intended to retain the alcoholic licensing of the premises so as to be able to offer a glass of wine or a bottle of beer !!!

The PCC hopes to create a drop in centre for the youngsters which they can develope as their own, rather than opening (another) youth club.

The PCC intends to move the team offices from The Rectory at Huish Episcopi to the Angel centre in Langport.

The PCC hopes to offer office space to other local service providers, as well as a prayer and quiet room, and a conference room with "meeting facilities".

The PCC hopes to create an "avenue" from Cocklemoor Car Park, with such as Market Stalls etc in partnership with other organisation which might wish to share in this "networking project". (Market stall rights in Langport come under the jurisdiction of the Town Council, furthermore - according to information received - The Angel Inn does not have clear legal rear access rights from Cocklemoor Car Park)

Exactly where the required funding will be obtained, other than vague hopes for "government community grants" throws a serious question over the short and long-term financial viability of the Angel concept. That the PCC should have gone ahead with this purchase despite no clear assurances that change of use (presumably to Class D1 - non residential institution) would be possible and that written guarantees of funding would be available to complete the centre. It was further noted that in his presentation, Rev Hugh Ellis did not mention either an internet cafe or a christian bookshop, whereas both these allegedly potential income sources had been previously mooted to local newspaper reporters !!!

It is slightly strange that the Langport Team Ministry have never previously wished to involve themselves in anyway with projects for the youngsters in Langport : it is funding, rather than facilities which is the problem....just how much can the PCC honestly offer, mere talk is cheap and pretty valueless.

At the present time office space is available at the Old Wharf (Great Bow Yard) Warehouse (another publicly funded project - this time via LADT) : conference, and room hire facilities are available via Vista (the voluntary sector training organisation) in Langport Town Hall.

There are many deprived areas of this country ; Langport is not one by comparison with the likes of Redcar where 40% of the available retail space is unoccupied and crime and unemployment statistics far far higher than here.

Rev Hugh Ellis stated that the possible impending loss of meeting room - "gathering" - facilities at St Gilda's Convent was one of the reasons behind the PCC's purchase of The Custom House (Angel Inn) : news comes through that the Chemin Neuf Community recently agreed another five years extension to their 10 year lease on St Gilda's Convent (originally signed in 1999) !!!

Langport has in the past decade received more than its fair share of public grants ; now is the time to put the begging bowl away and let the residents and businesses (together with Langport Town Council and Langport Town Trust) formulate the future for this historic town - without the meddling from either pastoral or quango development projects.

On Monday May 11th, at the invitation of the Somerset branch of Camra, Clive Keeble attended their meeting at The Royal Oak, Stoke St Gregory ; the petition calling for The Old Custom House (Angel Inn) to remain as a traditional commercial inn/public house was signed by all 20 present - including Camra local officers and publicans from the area. Everybody pledged their backing to Save-The-Angel campaign and wished to be kept updated. especially should any planning applications be submitted by Langport Area Team Ministry.

According to a report in The Western Gazette (11th June 2009), Langport Area Team Ministry is "liasing with South Somerset District Council to find out what sort of planning permission is required" : to the layman's eye this is change of use from class A4 (Drinking Establishments) to class D1 (Non-residential Institutions). What a great pity for Langport's residents and businesses that this planning permission (change of use) was not sought prior to purchase by the church ; nevertheless, the church can be assured that any change of use from class A4 will be vigorously opposed.

The Western Gazette (16th July 2009) reported that Langport Area Team Ministry intend holding an open day in The Custom House (Angel Inn) on Saturday 25th July between 10.00am and 2pm

Below is an image of one of the flyers which the church are distributing.

St Mary's Church Hall is now confirmed as sold to Huish Episcopi School and Science College : Rector Hugh Ellis chooses not to divulge the realised sale price, even though this would be readily obtainable from The Land Registry Office. Interesting to note that hall use, out of school hours, will still be available to local groups...and yet, presumably knowing this, Langport Area Team Ministry still pursued their purchase of The Custom House (Angel Inn).

A Team Ministry which will close Long Load Church, sell off a local village hall (without consulting the residents) evicting a 40 year old pre-school playgroup, and then buy a market town traditional public house to convert it into a drop-in youth centre. Hardly a Whitehall farce until you add to the mixture a church warden, Clive Sills, with substantial property interests ; and realise that all this has been done without, in the first instance, seeking the prior views of district council planning officers as well as those of the businesses and residents in the market town of Langport.

Not much to report from the Open Day on July 25th ; the church "will have to raise at least Two hundred thousand Pounds (200k) to restore, decorate, furnish and equip the building" ; church warden Clive Sills was conspicuous by his absence ; planning applications have yet to be lodged.

BBC Somerset are now starting to cover the Angel project (Mon 3rd August)

The Western Daily Press join the evangelical crusade with an editorial that resembles an advertising puff (Tue Sept 1st) This editorial report contains a number of grave factual errors...in fact, some naughty "clerical" lies as is noted from my comments.

The Angel project has recently featured in The Church Times ; just a basic report, all rather one sided. More importantly, there has been an SSDC planning application, 09/03364/FUL - no, me dears, it isn't for The Old Custom House ; rather it is for the White Lion Hotel and Old Paper shop in North Street. Given the location, which is outside of Langport's main conservation area ; in this webmaster's opinion, 09/03364/FUL is very likely to meet with approval both from the planners and many within the community.

'I've saved the Holy Spirits!'  - with a £200,000, yes 200 hundred thousand pounds sterling grant.  Reporter Marthe Gomer can be forgiven for her lapse in not verifying some of the comments from Rev Hugh Ellis, after all one would expect a clergyman to be totally honest in their choice of words when interviewed.

The above Sunday Express (11th October 2009) report repeats the earlier blatant lie from Rev Hugh Ellis, yes lie about prior consultation
"Mr Ellis said: “We consulted the public before we bought the pub..."
Why the blatant lies, has Rev Hugh Ellis no morals or ethical scruples.

"Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire" : suggested reading, "The Liar" an 1810 poem by William Blake.

REV HUGH ELLIS IS NOW AWAY - END OF OCTOBER - ON 3 MONTHS SABBATICAL LEAVE (FIRSTLY AT KIRLAMPUDI, IN ANDHRA PRADESH)

IS THIS ENFORCED OR VOLUNTARY.....WILL REV HUGH ELLIS RETURN TO LANGPORT or BE TRANSFERRED.....THE LATTER PROSPECT BRINGS MUCH REJOICING WITHIN THE LOCAL CONGREGATION....AS FOR THE ANGEL PROJECT....WHO KNOWS...."WE" - THE LOCAL COMMUNITY - MOST CERTAINLY CARE.

A petition "We, the undersigned, believe that The Angel Inn (latterly known as The Custom House Inn) of Bow Street (Langport) should remain as a traditional commercial Inn/Public House" is attracting plenty of signatures in the webmaster's shop !!