A wave of cheers filled the public gallery as Cotswold District Council rejected plans to convert a cherished Cirencester pub into residential accommodation with a bed and breakfast outbuilding.
The Twelve Bells, located on Lewis Lane, has been closed since its sale in early 2024. Developer Hywel James proposed transforming the pub into a home and B&B, a plan initially recommended for approval by council officers. However, this sparked strong opposition, with over 150 residents and the Town Council voicing their objections.
Local resident and objector James Brown emphasized the pub’s status as a vital community asset. “More than 150 objections show clearly how important the Twelve Bells is to our community,” he said. “Even immediate neighbours have opposed the plan, which is rare when a pub closure is involved.”
Brown highlighted the social benefits the pub provided, hosting darts and crib teams, bell ringers, the Women’s Institute, a history society, and serving as a popular meeting spot for locals and visitors alike. He also pointed to the loss of employment the closure would cause, stressing that no meaningful public benefits would result from the conversion. “There’s already a dwelling on the premises, so there is no new housing gain,” Brown added.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Joe Seymour maintained that a comprehensive marketing campaign demonstrated the pub’s non-viability, with no takers interested in running it as a business. “Previous landlords tried to pass on the lease, but no publicans or breweries were willing to assume the financial risk,” Seymour explained. “It’s not council decisions that close pubs; it’s the lack of operators prepared to keep them running profitably.”
Liberal Democrat Councillor Joe Harris, representing St Michael’s, described the proposals as causing “permanent irreversible harm” to a valued community asset without delivering any clear public benefit. “The Twelve Bells is a treasured venue in a historic part of town, and losing it would be devastating,” he said. Harris pointed out that the business was reportedly profitable, with adjusted net profits around £150,000 and room for growth via extended hours and increased food sales.
Independent Councillor Nikki Ind, raised in Cirencester, lamented the loss of numerous pubs in the town’s south side over the past 30 years, including the Queen’s Head, Waggon and Horses, Foresters, Queen Street, and Oddfellows. “The Twelve Bells is one of the few remaining pubs in that area,” she noted.
Conservative Councillor David Fowles, a local town guide, recalled that Cirencester once had 80 pubs over 100 years ago but now only about seven remain despite population growth. “This is a Grade II-listed free house – once pubs like this are gone, they’re gone for good,” he warned. Fowles pledged to vote against the application, a view echoed by Councillor Daryl Corps.
By a majority of eight to one, with one abstention, the committee voted to refuse the plans, prompting applause from the public gallery.
Following the decision, Councillor Harris thanked the community for their engagement and said, “This was a clear case where a viable and valued community asset was under threat with no justification in terms of public benefit. I’m pleased the committee saw the evidence and made the right call.”