Palmers to pull out of Bridport?

Sales and marketing director Cleeves Palmer was openly critical of decisions made by the district planning authority during a tour given to civic dignitaries last month.

His comments took the guests – from across West Dorset – by surprise and is the first time the company has openly expressed its frustration at the planning process.

The brewery has sought numerous planning applications over the years for several of its pubs.

Many have been rejected or withdrawn on the advice of planning officers. The company has come in for strong criticism over the years for closing down many of its pubs and leaving them as ‘eyesores’ in central locations.

In March the company saw a planning application to expand the Anchor at Seatown rejected because of fears the development could cause a landslip and make coastal erosion worse.

District council chairman Ronald Coatsworth said: “He has been critical of the planning position in West Dorset.

“He didn’t exactly say they were all going to leave Bridport but he intimated there were other horizons to which he might go.

“I think a lot of it was the delays and perhaps he hadn’t always got his planning permission.

“As far as I am concerned he did make a protest about the planning system and the fact that there were other places they could operate. I didn’t see it as a threat but he might have been disappointed over one or two planning applications they had made but as I am not on the planning committee any more I can’t comment.

“I was a little surprised at the platform he used but no doubt as he thought he had so many important people from the district council there he thought he could just express his views.”

According to its website Palmers has ‘57 public houses, primarily in the county of Dorset, but with others in prime locations in both Somerset and Devon’.

Lyme mayor Sally Holman said: “In Lyme Regis we have been concerned about the Three Cups Hotel which has been empty for over 20 years and we have at various times made approaches to Palmers and asked them to speak with us about the future of the building.

“More recently their position was that they wanted to wait until after from front page phase II stabilisation was completed before they would think about the future of the building.

“At the end Cleeves made quite a strong point to the gathered assembly that local business was very important to the economy and also that councillors should do everything they could with regard to planning issues.

“Palmers has closed quite a few pubs in the area and there’s quite a feeling of regret generally.”

Robert Gould leader of West Dorset District Council said he understood Palmers frustration but planning applications had to be decided according to local and national policies.

The properties Palmers wanted to develop were all in sensitive areas, he said.

Mr Gould said: “Obviously they are all in sensitive areas and as we all know West Dorset is about 70 per cent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, we have listed buildings, conservation areas and so on.

“It is really a question of trying to retain and operate within those restrictions which obviously can be more difficult than other areas where they don’t have these outstandingly beautiful areas.

“It can impose limitations on what can be done that are more onerous than other areas, we understand that.”

He said as a district council they were keen to promote the local economy.

Mr Gould added: “But there is always a tension in an area like West Dorset.

“I know one of the particular properties that has caused concern for Palmers is The Anchor Inn at Seatown.”

Palmers has submitted ten applications since 1989 to extend the pub and these have either been withdrawn or refused.

Mr Gould said: “Obviously Palmers were frustrated at the decision I can understand and I would certainly hope they wouldn’t want to pull out and I am sure we would like to work together in the future and that would be my message to him and anybody else who runs a business in West Dorset.

“We always want to be as constructive as possible and to encourage employment and important business and Palmers Brewery is obviously a very important business to Bridport and the whole of West Dorset.

“We would like to be as constructive as possible but planing policies are there to protect the environment and our unique surroundings particularly on the Jurassic coastline.

“It is a difficult balance and it is part of the penalty for living in one of the most fantastic parts of the world it is our job to find a way forward.

The brewery boasts that it has been in operation since 1794 making it one of the few in the country to remain in continuous production for more than 200 years on the original site.

It is claimed that it is the only brewery to be thatched.

The brewery was founded by local net makers the Gundry family but changed hands in the late 19th century to the Palmer brothers, John Cleeves and Robert Henry.

West Dorset District Council chief executive David Clarke, who was on the tour when the comments were made, refused to be drawn on the subject.

He said: “Palmers is an important part of the West Dorset economy and we are arranging a meeting with the brewery to discuss a range of issues.”

West Dorset District Council director of planning and environment David Evans said: “The planning process seeks to balance economic, social and environmental issues.

“All planning applications are judged on their individual merits and are weighed against national and local planning policies.”

Palmers Brewery refused to comment.