Yorkshire Dales Landlady Loses Appeal Over Pub's Altered Use

The Planning Inspectorate has upheld enforcement notices against Joanne Cox, landlady of the Moorcock Inn in Garsdale, after determining that unauthorized changes had converted the pub into a private dwelling and parts of it into tearoom and self-contained accommodation without proper permission. Inspectors found the ground floor, once the bar area, had been transformed into living quarters with all the amenities necessary for domestic life, constituting a clear change of use. While previous holiday let and bed-and-breakfast accommodations were noted, these were deemed ancillary to the pub’s primary function as a public house, not as standalone residential uses. Cox's appeals, which argued that no material change had occurred and that hospitality services continued, were rejected. The landlady must now comply with the enforcement notices or face further legal action. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority welcomed the decision and encouraged compliance, emphasizing enforcement as a last resort.