THE SITE of a former pub in Wargrave high street could be converted into homes.
Wokingham Borough Council has received an application to change the old White Hart pub – most recently the Don Toni restaurant – in to six dwellings, with a new house built to its rear.
The site, referred to as the ‘Spice Lounge’, has undergone a number of changes over the last 10 years.
The building is Grade II listed and dates back to the 16th Century. It used to be a pub called The White Hart, and has also been a home to Haweli, which also has a branch in Twyford.
Cllr Graham Howe (Conservative, Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe) said: “It’s been around since before the 1940s even. It goes back a long time.
“During one of the village festivals 20 years ago I remember going on a walk held by the Wargrave History Society who said the village once had 10 pubs.”
Now, a developer wants to convert into four one-bed and two two-bed flats, and build a two- bedroom home to the rear in an application submitted to the local authority Wokingham Borough Council.
The restaurant’s conversion has effective consent in principle as a conversion plan was approved in May 2021. But further determination will be needed for the planned two-bedroom home to the rear of the building.
An existing coach house will be demolished to create access to the new home.
The prospect of the building being brought back into use as a pub or restaurant has been dispelled by the applicant’s planning agents.
In a planning and heritage statement, the agent said: “In 2013, when planning permission was granted to change the use to a restaurant, the Council considered evidence as to why the property couldn’t continue as a pub.
“The conclusion was that the change of use and the loss of community facility was accepted.
“In the intervening seven years, pubs have continued to be lost and there is no indication of any reverse in the cycle of fewer pubs being needed. The reversion to a pub remains unviable as it was back in 2013.
“The restaurant proved unsuccessful as a business, not least because Wargrave is a relatively small settlement and, despite its affluence, cannot sustain the number of restaurants that it had.”
Not far away, developers have submitted a plan to convert the closed Greyhound pub into a wine bar, village shop and more under application reference 223795.
The plan for 45 High Street can be seen by searching for reference 230688 at Wokingham planning website.
