Is Paul Hollywood close to a peace deal with neighbours? GBBO star said to be making move to end war with furious Kent villagers over 600-year pub after ‘unforgivable’ abuse
Paul Hollywood has made a last-ditch attempt to end his ongoing dispute with a group of Kent villagers over his 600-year-old pub.
The celebrity baker and his wife Melissa Spalding have invested more than £80,000 of their own money in a bid to save The Chequers pub, near Ashford, Kent, but sadly to no avail.
With business still going badly, they decided instead to submit plans to convert the building into a residential home, much to the anger of locals.
Despite a lengthy and bitter legal battle for approval to convert the building – which Paul and Melissa won – a major turnaround could yet take place after news emerged that a new bid has been lodged as part of a plan to keep the building as a pub.
Paul Hollywood has made a last-ditch attempt to end the ongoing dispute he has with a group of Kent villagers over his 600-year-old pub
The Chequers, near Ashford, Kent, is no longer viable as a business so Mrs Hollywood’s family submitted plans to convert it into a home earlier this year
The celebrity baker and his wife Melissa Spalding had put more than £80,000 of their own money into a bid to save The Chequers pub (above), near Ashford, Kent, but sadly to no avail.
As the business continued to struggle, they decided instead to file plans to convert it into a residential home – much to the anger of locals. Pictured are Paul and Melissa
Locals had appealed to the Great British Bake Off judge to intervene and help broker a deal on the property, which was on the market for £1million.
According to sources, staff have told locals they can expect the pub to remain open and under new ownership.
When asked for comment, the pub indicated it could still have a future as a licensed premises.
One woman, who did not want to give her name, said, “If we can sell it… hopefully.”
“You’ll know soon enough, if we succeed.”
Then she put the phone down.
The source said: ‘The staff have said that a deal is being done. Someone is planning to buy the pub and keep it as a pub. That would make everyone happy.
Outside the pub has 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 intervene and help broker a deal on the property, which was on the market for £1million.
Paul Hollywood and his wife Melissa at the Ashford City Council Planning Committee meeting
‘It would be a gesture of goodwill from Paul and Melissa to the local population. Relations between the local population and them have become very unpleasant. Feelings have run high. Emotions have gotten in the way.
‘It would be good if this deal could be accepted. Everyone has their fingers [crossed that] This deal will work.
‘I imagine it’s a very good offer they’re considering, because if they had sold it as a house, they would have made a lot of money on it.
‘People have been talking to Paul Hollywood directly. He hasn’t been popular lately.
“If this continues, people will start to like him more and more.”
This comes just weeks after he angered locals by flying his new £360,000 helicopter.
He lands the plane on a strip of land between his farm and the local pub in the quiet Kent village of Smarden.
But he reportedly prefers to keep his Robinson Raven helicopter at Manston airfield rather than nearby Headcorn Aerodrome while he works on his private licence.
This comes just weeks after he angered locals by flying his new £360,000 helicopter
He lands the plane on a strip of land between his farm and the local pub in the quiet Kent village of Smarden
Hollywood hit out at locals during an interview with BBC South East last month, defending Melissa after “unforgivable” criticism.
Following a tense planning meeting in which locals said they had made more than one offer but had “failed to get them to agree or fully cooperate with us”, The Great British Bake Off host took exception to the villagers’ “vindictiveness”.
He said: ‘The vengeance of the local people against the family who have lived here for 18 years is unforgivable.
‘If the villagers want to settle their own affairs and make an offer to buy it, that’s fine.
‘At the end of the month the company will be closed because they can no longer handle the flow of money. There is no more money coming in.’
According to Hollywood, the pub was for sale for four years, but only one offer was made.
Since 2020, it has been for sale with four real estate agents.