A plan to convert a pub into a Greggs bakery in Reading has been rejected due to the loss of a community facility.
The Royal Albion in Oxford Road has been closed since October last year and has developed a mixed reputation.
While it was under stable leadership for 12 years, the fortunes of the pub started to decline following a raid by armed police in March 2022.
This prompted Greene King, the brewery that owned the Royal Albion, to sell it to a private buyer.
The new owner then submitted a plan for the building to be converted into a Greggs bakery earlier this year.
The move was blasted by experienced landlord Darren Brett, who ran the Royal Albion from 2007 to 2019.
Mr Brett said the pub was a “going concern” and a community asset, hosting live TV, sports and games to patrons.
He argued that poor management had led to its decline.
The conversion project has recently been rejected by Reading Borough Council’s planning department.
Nathalie Weekes wrote: “The proposed change of use would result in the permanent loss of a public house and community facility.
“While the retention of employment use and the reactivation of a currently vacant building in an accessible location are acknowledged as positive aspects of the proposal, these benefits do not outweigh the harm caused by the loss of the public house.”
The applicant had submitted marketing information from Savills, which advertised the Royal Albion for a guide price of £650,000.
The information stated that the community functions it had provided have been met by other nearby pubs, such as The Pond House, The White Eagle, The Spread Eagle, Double-Barrelled Brewery and The Wishing Well.
However, this information failed to convince Ms Weekes.
She said: “The application fails to demonstrate that there is no longer a need for the facility or that the property was marketed appropriately as a pub, that its function can be adequately fulfilled by alternative provision within a reasonable walking distance, or that its continued use would result in unacceptable impacts on the local area.
“As such, the proposal does not meet any of the criteria set out in the council’s local plan, which seeks to protect leisure facilities and public houses.”
Furthermore, she stated the submitted documents are missing information on the potential for noise and disturbance and future intensification of use, either as a takeaway or drive-thru, where food eaten off-site increases.
Finally, she judged that there would not be sufficient accessibility to future between the ground floor and the first floor.
A submitted drawing did show a staircase leading to three offices, two stores, a staff room, a wash room and a kitchen.
Ultimately, the conversion plan was rejected on Monday, October 6.
You can view the refused application by typing reference PL/24/1521 into the council’s planning portal.
