The White Swan at Thornton-le-Clay: Victory for Yorkshire villagers as planning inspector dismisses appeal to turn pub into five-bedroom house

The future of The White Swan at Thornton-le-Clay, near Malton, had been uncertain since 2020, when it closed following lockdown after the last tenants left. The building was purchased by local resident Richard Harrison, whose application to turn it into a five-bedroom family home was refused by Ryedale Council.

The council agreed to list the pub as an Asset of Community Value, meaning its use cannot be changed, after a campaign by the Save Our Swan group and the parish council – but Mr Harrison submitted an appeal against the decision.

At a recent hearing, HM Planning Inspectorate ruled that the pub’s social value to the community was of significance and that it had the potential to be a viable business, though it was accepted that custom may have to be drawn from further afield.

In his report, the inspector cited Ryedale Local Plan’s commitment to protecting community facilities to maintain the vitality of rural villages.

The commercial viability and local demand for The White Swan were both explored, as well as the existence of nearby alternatives. The inspector decided that the other venues suggested by the Harrisons’ legal team did not compare to the range of functions previously provided by the pub.

A survey by Save Our Swan demonstrated the level of support for and interest in the pub re-opening.

The inspector noted that the pub could turn a profit, through it would also rely on attracting passing trade. The interest from Save Our Swan in forming a community group to buy and run the pub was also acknowledged.

Save Our Swan said: “It’s great news, after two years of campaigning, we are both pleased and relieved that the inspector came to this decision; and that he has set out detailed reasoning which aligned with our community group’s position and findings.

"The inspector acknowledged the amount of community support for our much-loved local pub; and supported the district council’s original decision in November 2021, to refuse

planning application for our local pub to be converted to a private dwelling.

"We feel that this is a forward thinking decision that will benefit the village for many years to come, providing a heart to our village and local community, as well as a service to other customers including tourism visitors to Ryedale.”

Although Mr Harrison is not required to sell the building, it must now operate primarily as a pub.