Campaigners concerned as Hungerford pub turns into estate agents

Campaigners claim owners Acres Developments are trying to exploit a legal loophole to turn the Tally Ho! in Hungerford Newtown into an estate agents - without having to go through the planning process.
And the news could have implications for other groups hoping to save threatened community pubs by buying them.
Newbury MP Richard Benyon, who supported the Tally Ho! consortium, who wanted buy it and run it as a pub, said he was “very disturbed” by the latest developments and was investigating.
A campaign against converting the building into terraced homes ended with West Berkshire planning chiefs throwing out the proposal by Acres Developments.
A consortium of local people tried to buy it back for the community but the firm lodged an appeal.
As villagers squared up for the fight, amassing petition signatures, Acres Developments announced the appeal was being withdrawn.
Instead, campaigners were presented with an apparent fait accomplis - a change of use to an estate agents which apparently bypasses the planning process.
Campaigner Tom Sperrey said: “Acres Developments appear to be exploiting a loophole in the planning laws whereby a public house (classed as A4 use in planning laws) can be changed to A2 use (Professional Services) without requiring planning permission.
Acres Developments claimed in a statement to planning chiefs that they did not need permission because of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order.
However West Berkshire Council spokeswoman Peta Stoddart-Crompton said: “The application is for a Certificate of Lawfulness for an 'existing use' rather than for a 'proposed use' .
“Presumably, this has been requested to confirm that the building has materially changed use from a pub to an estate agents.
“However, there would need to be evidence that the Tally Ho! is now being operated as an estate agents and that a material change of use has occurred.”
Hungerford mayor Martin Crane told a town council meeting that villagers feared the owners knew they that planners would look more favourably on a change of use to housing from an estate agents rather than from a pub.
Acres Developments did not respond to repeated requests for a comment.
However, the manager at Hungerford Estate Agents, Nikita Mitson, insisted the business was genuine and said she was currently recruiting staff.
She said that she had no prior connections to Acres Developments and added: “I heard about the premises through business connections.”