ONE of Northumberland’s most celebrated pubs faced closure if plans for an outdoor seating area were rejected.

That was the warning from Feathers Inn owner Helen Greer, who gave an emotional speech to county councillors in a bid to persuade them to overrule officers on the decision.

The pub in the village of Hedley-on-the-Hill near Prudhoe had applied for retrospective permission to retain an existing structure for ancillary pub space, a community space and a car port within the existing car park. The structure in question consists of a timber frame north of the pub, with a transparent roof.

However, council planners felt that the small development would cause harm to the character of the village due to its transparent polycarbonate roof. A previous application had already been refused by Northumberland County Council and an appeal dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate.

But speaking at Tynedale Local Area Council on Tuesday, Mrs Greer – who owns the pub alongside her husband and head chef Rhian – warned that without the changes the award-winning business could fail.

She said: “Without this, the business is not sustainable. The structure provides a 50 per cent increase in cover – six members of staff have jobs which rely on this.

“We are the most award-winning pub in the entire North East. We believe we have created a high-quality sustainable structure.

“On a personal note, we are on a precipice. Never before has the future of our business looked so bleak.

“Inflation is eating into our profits. We have seen 177 per cent increase in electricity costs, basic ingredients have gone up by at least 50 per cent and potatoes have gone up 170 per cent. We are paying our staff 25 per cent more.

“Running a pub has never been easy. When a pub closes it never reopens. The village pub is an endangered species.”

Members also heard that there was significant support for the plans from the local community.

Hedley Parish Council’s vice chairman, Arne Wolters, said The Feathers Inn was a “key business” in the parish and the wider area, adding: “I think it is an excellent pub and something that Northumberland wants and needs.

“The parish council is keen to support a local business that supports local employment and other local businesses.”

The plans received 108 letters of support from residents and no objections.

Proposing granting planning permission, Cllr Derek Kennedy said: “I’m going to propose that we grant permission on the basis that we have the benefits and the negatives of this.

“I believe that the benefits far, far outweigh the negatives. I’m confident that this will be the right decision.”

The plans were voted through by seven votes to five.