A PUB landlord says he may have to shut up shop after a planning authority turned down his bid to raise funds for a much-needed revamp.

Chris Holt, who runs The Punch Bowl at Underbarrow with partner Louise Ellis, asked the Lake District National Park Authority for permission to build two new semi-detached affordable homes on the car park.

Previously a pair of cottages, a barn and a Smithy existed on the site until around the 1970s.

Money from the development would have paid for a second planning application to carry out alterations to the pub to allow for a new village post office and shop.

But the local occupancy housing plans was rejected by the LDNPA’s development control committee, which made their subsequent approval of the post office and shop plan redundant.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Holt told the Gazette: “We are either going to have to shut the pub down or put it up for sale.

“The committee completely missed the point of why we were trying to do it, but they just said they didn’t like the design. They say no and we are left having spent £5,000 trying to get the plan to this point.

“The idea behind putting the houses up was to save the pub in the long-term, to raise funding for the pub and shop as we need £50,000 to do that. It wasn’t to make money outright.

“We took the pub over five years ago in a fairly run-down state and we have put £20,000 of our own money in to it and restored it back to what a country pub should be.

“But after the snow last year, the roof got damaged and needs £30,000 to £35,000 to repair it. The bank is not interested in lending to the pub trade.

“We’ve managed to keep our heads above water but we don’t have that sort of money.

“As a giveback to the community, we would put a village shop and post office in, and it would keep the village pub going.”

Mr Holt said LDNPA planning officers had told them the authority was trying to promote this type of housing and it was likely to get the go ahead.

He added that the purpose of the application was to provide much-needed accommodation for people locally, who in the past had been forced out as they could no longer afford to live there.

But the committee did not agree, with John Hayton stating: “I think it is unneighbourly and certainly uncharacteristic (of the area).”

Jeremy Rowan-Robinson added: “The thing that worries me is the impact this will have as you come round the corner from Kendal. It really would be in your face.”

The Underbarrow and Bradleyfield Parish Council recommended approval despite raising concerns about vehicles left on the roadside being a hazard, a view shared by some committee members.

But, as chairman Michael McKinley continued to point out to members during the discussion, the highway authority had ‘no objection’ as it considered the proposal would not adversely affect the road network.

Mr Holt said he was now considering holding a community meeting where villagers could discuss the matter and he also plans to appeal.