Dales pub landlord accuses park planners of pettiness over decking refusal

A Yorkshire Dales pub landlord has accused national park planners of pettiness after they threatened legal action over decking he installed during lockdown.

Nigel Fawcett, who has run the Street Head Inn, in Bishopdale, for more than 20 years, erected the decking in 2020 when pubs and cafes were being urged to create outdoor spaces to help reduce the spread of Covid.  After the pandemic subsided, the landlord was told by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) he would need planning permission for the structure, which is built on council-owned land opposite the pub.

Mr Fawcett said he duly submitted a planning application, however, this was refused by the park authority, with an appeal also rejected.
He has now received emails warning that he could face court action and a hefty fine if he fails to remove the decking.

The YDNPA decision notice documents say the application was refused because the decking “represents an incongruous and alien feature on a hitherto undeveloped area of grass verge which afforded uninterrupted views of the open countryside”.
Planners were also concerned the development would encourage customers to cross the road from the pub, which has a 60mph limit.
The landlord said he had already spent around £3,000 on applications and fees over the issue and he was reluctantly going to remove the decking in the spring.

The platform is used by customers from the pub, as well as passing picnickers and holidaymakers at the nearby caravan site.
It has also been used to host a meeting of the local parish council and a Christmas carol service.
He said: “During Covid, Boris Johnson was telling everyone to ‘get some outdoor seating put up’ so we did – we even had a marquee over it when it was cold.  But now I’m getting an email saying I could be fined thousands of pounds if I don’t take it down.”
Mr Fawcett said the park authority was failing to be consistent after allowing a controversial holiday lodge development on fields near Aysgarth Falls in 2023. 

He added: “There’s never been one complaint about the decking since we put it up.  The amount of people that sit down there and watch the sun go down over Bishopdale is unbelievable.  Personally, I just feel it’s wrong and they’re being petty. It’s such an insignificant thing.  They should be helping the hospitality industry, which is finding things hard enough, not making things worse.”

The landlord said there had been seating on the patch of grass for at least 30 years before the decking was installed and he would not be removing the benches from the area.

A Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority spokesperson said in response to the criticism: “We are working closely with Street Head Inn to find a resolution satisfactory to all.”