Villagers are furious that an ‘anti-Christ’ landlord has won permission to turn their only pub into a shop – after they fought a planning battle to stop it becoming a house.
Drew Donaldson, owner of the Fox and Hounds in Llanharry, South Wales, gave villagers a ‘use it or lose it’ ultimatum in before shutting the pub in December 2023 due to rising costs and a lack of customers.
But his initial plan to turn the boozer into housing caused uproar as locals claimed village life would be damaged by the plans – and objectors claimed victory when he was denied planning permission for the move.
In the wake of their victory, they had hoped to buy the building as a community asset and take over the running of the pub – but Mr Donaldson has now won permission for a change of use into a shop.
More than 100 villagers gathered in the village fields for a second time holding a banner titled ‘Save the Fox’ but their protest did not sway the planning committee.
Mr Donaldson, who previously referred to himself as the ‘anti-Christ of Llanharry’ was supported in his venture by local councillor Barry Stephens.
Cllr Stephens said villagers should have done more to support the pub when it was open.
He added : ‘The Donaldsons worked very hard to try and keep the business running. They added a chip shop and a playground for children. They invested an awful lot of money.
Drew Donaldson, owner of the Fox and Hounds (pictured) in Llanharry, South Wales, gave villagers a ‘use it or lose it’ ultimatum in before shutting the pub in December 2023
His initial plan to turn the boozer into housing caused uproar as locals claimed village life would be damaged by the plans – and objectors claimed victory when he was denied planning permission for the move
More than 100 villagers gathered in the village recreational fields for a second time holding a banner titled ‘Save the Fox’ but their protest did not sway the planning committee
‘I heard how it was stated that the pub was supporting groups in the village and was the heart of the community. That was totally false.
‘I’ve been involved in the drinking trade and the catering trade in Llanharry for 14 years. I’ve seen what happens. The people do not support the pub or the club.’
Cllr Stephens also took aim at the protestors who had gathered against Mr Donaldson’s plans, saying their group was not a true reflection of the popularity of the area.
He said: ‘It’s great you come along when people have gathered like last weekend with a VE celebration in the park and then a couple of people produce a banner and ask people to get around for the photoshoot, but it’s not the true reflection of the village.’
Objections to the plan included Llanharry community council and local Labour Senedd member Huw Irranca-Davies MS and Alex Davies-Jones MP.
In a joint letter, they said: ‘We share the disappointment many residents voiced that this represents another step away from bringing the pub back into use.
‘A shop doesn’t offer the same social or cultural value as a pub and we’d be disappointed to see the community lose the Fox and Hounds in that role.’
Mr Donaldson previously said he was surprised 600 people from the village of 3,500 had joined a Facebook group against the closure.
Pictured: the original plans to turn the pub into housing which were rejected
Pictured: an aerial view of the original plans to turn the pub into housing which were rejected
He said: ‘You have to ask yourself the question: ‘If there are 600 or more people in a group opposing what I’m trying to do, why were those people not supporting the pub when it was open?’
‘There were some who’d come down. People would come down once a month and have a beer. That’s not enough.
‘My costs were going up this whole time. You can’t just go on losing money.’
‘When you spend 600 quid on a band and you get 16 people and it’s Christmas Eve, you’ve got to ask yourself: ‘What am I doing here?’
In his initial application to use the land for housing, Mr Donaldson, who is a builder by trade, had hoped to erect two separate four-bedroom homes and to build a third four-bedroom home on the land as well.
He had first attempted to list the pub on the market – but said no one was interested in taking it over.
Shops in the village had letters objecting to Mr Donaldson’s plans on their counters and a cafe has put posters up with the headline: ‘Save the Fox & Hounds!’
Eifion Edwards, who had printed off letters opposing the plans, said: ‘People really care here. We want our pub back.
In his initial application to use the land for housing, Mr Donaldson had hoped to erect two separate four-bedroom homes and to build a third four-bedroom home on the land as well
Shops in the village had letters objecting to Mr Donaldson’s plans on their counters and a cafe has put posters up with the headline: ‘Save the Fox & Hounds!’
Eifion Edwards (left), Mike Meredith (centre) and Adam Purchase (right) are leading the villager’s campaign to stop the pub from turning into luxury homes
‘It’s in a great location, has fantastic potential, and it’s an excellent community asset. The reaction from the entire village and the support and momentum we’ve got is extremely important.’
Mike Meredith, a Llanharry resident of more than 60 years, claimed: ‘He has been there for years and slowly ran it downhill so it wasn’t a surprise when it closed. It was like a liquified agony.’
‘We know it’s perfectly normal along a high street for two or three pubs to close. That’s the way it’s going. This is different.
‘This is a village and a pub isn’t just a pub. It’s a meeting place and it’s crucial. If you are the local plasterer or plumber you get your business there. That’s how it still works here.’
