Plans to convert former award-winning Vale pub into housing

A Vale of Belvoir pub which was once regarded as one of the finest places to eat in the county will be converted into housing if a planning application is approved.
The Red Lion at Stathern, which has been vacant for three years EMN-200527-122027001The Red Lion at Stathern, which has been vacant for three years EMN-200527-122027001
The Red Lion at Stathern, which has been vacant for three years EMN-200527-122027001

The Red Lion, at Stathern, held a prestigious Michelin Bib Gourmand for many years and was the ‘dining pub of the year’ for Leicestershire and Rutland in the Good Pub Guide when it closed in 2017.

But Melton Borough Council will decide if proposals can go ahead to part-demolish the pub and convert it to a residential house and build a further seven homes to the rear of the building.

Red Lion owners Wayne and Karen Hammond say in their application to the council: “It is required to demolish the non-historic extensions to the Red Lion Inn in order to revert to the historic footprint of the building and enable refurbishment works and conversion to a dwelling.”

More than 100 comments have been sent to the council with many from angry villagers, who don’t want to lose the pub as a community asset.

Tom Parry wrote to say: “The pub was a successful and profitable venture until its last change of owner and there is no evidence to suggest that it cannot be one again, possibly operating not just as a pub but in other ways also which serve the community.”

Brigitte Bond commented: “Not only is the loss of the pub a great loss to the community and local villages but there would be vastly inadequate parking facilities for the proposed new homes.”

The village’s other pub is The Plough.