After convincing EHDC Planning Committee members to almost unanimously throw out the first application to convert the Queen's Hotel, Selborne to housing and making a strong case that enabled the Inspector to uphold that decision on appeal, 'Save the Queen's' had to contest a new application tweaking the original to provide a fig leaf of community benefit which came before the South Downs National Park Planning Committee in Midhurst on 9th September.
As in the previous EHDC hearing, officers had prepared a damning-looking report but a majority of members saw through the arguments and in a hotly debated session enabled a majority to once again defeat the proposals. The proposed "aparthotel" holiday lets, a tap room with limited opening hours and replacement Field Study Centre were seen to be of very limited value to the local community and by no means an "equivalent or superior" set of amenities to the fine pub with serviced rooms and function facilities they replaced. Significantly members made the important point that the fact that the premises were in a dilapidated state should not be a consideration. Nor was the fact that Asset of Community Value status had been turned down.
So a good result, but another hard slog probably lies ahead either fighting a further appeal or thrashing out a solution acceptable to all. There is in fact a local consortium ready to buy the Queen's Hotel at a fair price and run it as a pub. With the would-be developer's dependence upon the hope value of an inflated development price again given no credence will reason prevail?

Pubs in the East Hants CAMRA branch area in Alton and the surrounding villages have generally coped very well under Covid-19 restrictions, but they will not have been able to offer customers what many of them go to the pub for, and their takings have suffered as a result. The much-anticipated return of the traditional pub experience from Monday 19 July will help licencees and breweries make ends meet after a devastating 16 months.
The lifting of most Covid-19 restrictions is a huge step on the road to recovery with the opportunity for our pubs to be able to trade at full capacity, with table-service replaced by people ordering and chatting at the bar. However many licensees - including the whole of the Fuller's chain - will be continuing to offer table service as an option, and please be aware all establishments will have carried out risk asessments and local restrictions may be in place. Please also be mindful of others and most importantly do not go to the pub if you are displaying any Covid-19 symptoms.
Over the coming weeks East Hants CAMRA will be surveying what is going on in your locals. Individual pub websites and Facebook pages detailing opening hours etc will be availible through https://whatpub.com/ as usual.
Please use the feedback form for individual pubs to let us know of any changes.

Readers will be pleased to hear that the George in Butts Road, Alton re-opened on 12 April with a new Punch tenant Tim Lees, and currently has three cask ales on offer - St. Albans Tribute, Timothy Taylor Landlord and Wychwood Hobgoblin Gold.
At the moment obviously only the outside space is open but there is a full food service from the gluten-free kitchen. Booking is currently necessary to secure space.
Check out more details at https://whatpub.com/pubs/EHA/10/george-alton.

We are pleased to announce that the following pubs in our area are included in the 2021 GBG...(in no particular order!)
Alton: Eight Bells; Railway Arms
Holybourne: Queen's Head
Four Marks: Offf the Rails
Bentworth: Sun
Lower Farringdon: Golden Pheasant
Selborne: Selborne Arms
Hammer Vale: Prince of Wales
Congratulations to all of them from the CAMRA East Hampshire committee.
[Others came close, but unfortunately we are only allowed 8 pubs for our area.]