Owner of historic pub tells of plans
The new owner of an historic village pub has spoken about his plans to restore the building.
Patrick Sherry, who has spent four decades working with the National Trust on historic buildings and gardens, has bought the Packhorse at South Stoke.
Mr Sherry, who lives in Bath, first visited the 17th century pub, which has been closed by its previous owner Punch Taverns in 1968.
Restoration work will take place over the next 18 months, with the intention of returning to the original farmhouse floor plan of having two main rooms on each floor.
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Villagers are keen to see the pub reopened but Mr Sherry, who was educated at what is now St Gregory’s School, has bought the building without a licence.
He bought the pub at the full contract price in a three-way arrangement with Punch Taverns and surveyor Bob Goodman after Mr Goodman was unable to complete his own purchase of the property.
There was another offer to take over Mr Goodman’s contract, but at a lower price.
Mr Sherry has met members of the action committee trying to get the pub reopened.
A statement issued on his behalf said: “Respecting Southstoke’s peace and tranquillity, he trusts that it will continue, and looks forward to being an active member of the community.”
Comments
by Pompeybelle
Friday, June 08 2012, 4:30PM
“I think there's confusion here over the licence. The premises were licesed, and according to James A Baker were sold as licensed - QUOTE Licences The property possesses a Premises Licence. UNQUOTE. (from the sale particulars.) However, in addition to a premises licence, the landlord has to have a licence. As far as i can see, this was a straightforward sale. If it was sold unlicensed, then the details are incorrect and that is an offence. But Mr Sherry says he is going to apply for a licence. So either he does know what he is talking about, thus it would appear deliberately creating obfuscation, or he doesn't know what he is talking about - and therefore what he says shoud be taken with a grain of salt.
Which is it, Mr S?”
by RobOldfield
Friday, June 08 2012, 2:07PM
“@PaulWilts...
Thanks for the response. I'm afraid I still can't see how asking somebody a direct yes/no question and then reporting their answer can be 'tortuous'.”
by CaptainD
Friday, June 08 2012, 12:52PM
“Clearly something on your mind Pompeybelle!”
by Pompeybelle
Friday, June 08 2012, 12:19PM
“Sorry - knock those down. Freudian slip!”
by Pompeybelle
Friday, June 08 2012, 12:19PM
“As the loos are in the curtilage of a listed bulding, he will even need planning permission to kock those down. I wonder if he knows that? James Dyson did not realise just what it means to make alterations to a listed bulding, so why should Mr Sherry?
So, all you South Stoke people - if you see those come down - get on to the enforcement officer PDQ. Because I think that will be one of the first things he will want to see the back of.”
by phcss
Friday, June 08 2012, 10:18AM
“@Ilovespaniels - Good background article and it does confirm some of the claims that Mr Sherry has made privately to us. But the key question is Rob's "Do you intend to open it as a pub?". Martin (aka Patrick) Sherry has told five of us campaigners that the answer is unequivocally "no". When we all met, he teased us by saying that he may use his licence to open the bar occasionally, but that doesn't sound like a pub to me!”
by Ilovespaniels
Friday, June 08 2012, 9:07AM
“This article from 2003 says that Mr Sherry lived at Hill House, Wickwar for many years ...
http://tinyurl.com/7yaboru”
by Paulwilts
Friday, June 08 2012, 6:37AM
“Rob: Getting to the bottom of this has been a tortuous process, but not one involving any PR people. We are now clear that pub was sold without a licence but that Mr Sherry will be applying for one, although he is keeping an open mind about whether it will ever be used and he and his advisers are stressing that the restoration work will last for at least a year.
Paul Wiltshire
Deputy editor”
by Fred_Harris
Thursday, June 07 2012, 11:42PM
“@tomsjan, good point, I stand corrected! Again, put me right if I'm being too clever for my own good, but if Mr Sherry intends to restore the pub to it's original 17th century layout, what's he going to do for a bathroom? I'm not sure if he'll be made too welcome by the villagers if he doesn't take baths and chucks his "slops" out of the window.”
by RobOldfield
Thursday, June 07 2012, 10:48PM
“Dear Chron: Is asking "Do you intend to open it as a pub" not the massively obvious question to ask? Or is this just a story from a PR company?”