Paul Hollywood tries to finish struggle with Kent locals over 600-year pub
Paul Hollywood has made a last ditch attempt to end the ongoing dispute he is in with a group of Kent villager over his 600-year pub.
The celebrity baker and his wife Melissa Spalding have put more than £80,000 of their own cash into trying to save The Chequers pub, near Ashford, Kent – but sadly to no avail.
As the business continued to struggle, they decided instead to submitted plans to change it into a house – much to the fury of the locals.
Despite a drawn out and bitter legal battle to get approval to transform the property – which Paul and Melissa won – a major U-turn could still be performed after it is understood that a new bid has been put in as part of a plan to keep the building a pub.
Paul Hollywood has made a last ditch attempt to end the ongoing dispute he is in with a group of Kent villager over his 600-year pub
The Chequers, near Ashford, Kent, is no longer viable as a business, so Mrs Hollywood’s family submitted plans to turn it into a home earlier this year
The celebrity baker and his wife Melissa Spalding had put more than £80,000 of their own cash into trying to save The Chequers pub (above), near Ashford, Kent – but sadly to no avail
As the business continued to struggle, they decided instead to submitted plans to change it into a residential property – much to the fury of the locals. Pictured Paul and Melissa
Locals had appealed to the Great British Bake Off judge to step-in and help facilitate a deal with the property – which had been listed for sale at £1 million.
Sources say staff have told locals to expect the pub to be kept open, with a new owner.
When the pub was approached for comment they suggested it could still have a future as a licensed property.
A woman, who did not give her name. said: ‘If we manage to sell it… hopefully.
‘You will know soon enough.. if we manage.’
She then put the phone down.
The source said: ‘Staff have said a deal is being put in place. Someone is set to buy the pub and keep it as a pub. This would make everyone happy.
Outside, the pub boasts a pub garden overlooking the village church and a large carp pond
The Chequers Inn pub has seven rooms and a large two-bedroom owner’s accommodation
Locals had appealed to the Great British Bake Off judge to step-in and help facilitate a deal with the property – which had been listed for sale at £1 million.
Paul Hollywood and his wife Melissa at the Ashford Borough Council planning committee meeting
‘It would be a gesture of good will from Paul and Melissa to locals. Things have gotten very unsavory between locals and them. Feelings have run high. Emotions have got in the way.
‘It would be good if this deal could be accepted. Everyone has their fingers [crossed that] this deal will work.
‘I would imagine it is a very strong offer for them to be considering it as surely selling it as a house would have made them a lot of money.
‘People have appealed to Paul Hollywood directly. He has not been popular recently.
‘If this goes through, people will begin to like him more.’
This comes just weeks after he made locals angry by flying his new £360,000 helicopter.
He lands the aircraft on a strip of land between his farmhouse and the local pub in the tranquil village of Smarden in Kent.
But is said to keep his Robinson Raven chopper at Manston airport rather than the nearby Headcorn Aerodrome as he continues to work towards his private license.
This comes just weeks after he made locals angry by flying his new £360,000 helicopter
He lands the aircraft on a strip of land between his farmhouse and the local pub in the tranquil village of Smarden in Kent
Hollywood hit out at locals last month during an interview with BBC South East and defended Melissa after ‘unforgivable’ criticism.
Following a tense planning meeting, where locals said they had made more than one offer but had been ‘unable to get them to agree or engage fully with us’, The Great British Bake Off host took exception at the ‘vindictiveness’ of villagers.
He said: ‘The vindictiveness from the locals towards the family who have been here 18 years is unforgivable.
‘If the villagers themselves want to get their act together and put a bid in and buy it, that’s fine.
‘At the end of the month it’s earmarked to close because they cannot sustain the money that’s coming in because there’s no money coming in.’
While up for sale for four years, the pub has only received one offer, Hollywood said.
It had been listed with four estate agents since 2020.
