Paul Hollywood defends wife against ‘unforgivable’ criticism of Kent pub sale

Paul Hollywood has defended his wife after “unforgivable” criticism from local people in a Kent village who are upset over the closure of a historical pub that she owns with her family.

Melissa Hollywood went before Ashford borough council this week and obtained permission to turn the 600-year-old Chequers Inn in Smarden into a single-family residence.

The request, which was submitted in January, was opposed by some residents as well as the Smarden parish council, which argued that the Grade II-listed pub had historical significance to the town and that closing it would hurt the local economy.

“The vindictiveness from the locals towards the family who have been here 18 years is unforgivable,” Paul Hollywood told BBC South East on Friday.

Hollywood said that despite his wife and her family spending tens of thousands of pounds on a renovation of the pub, the business was still failing – even with financial assistance from The Great British Bake Off judge.

“I have given a substantial amount of money to turn it into what it is now,” Hollywood said. “It is a beautiful pub, but it is a business that is losing money.”

He said that the family – who owned the pub for 16 years – did not initially intend to turn the pub into a house, but planned to sell it as a business.

However, while up for sale for four years, the pub received only one offer, Hollywood said. Documents submitted as part of the application showed that the family had gone through four estate agents since first listing the property at under £1m in 2020.

There were 48 written objections attached to the application, with some arguing that the closure of the Chequers Inn would mean losing a community facility with historical significance.

In a report filed against the application, Smarden parish council argued that the other two pubs in the village would not be able to fill the gap left behind by the Chequers Inn: the Flying Horse, owned by Shepherd Neame and located about 100 metres away, did not offer rooms for guests like the Chequers Inn; nor did the Smarden Bell, located one mile away.

At the planning meeting, Melissa Hollywood said that the past six months had “shown us the worst in people’s behaviour”, and made a plea on behalf of her elderly father.

“Ask yourself – would you work a 12- to 16-hour shift every day just to make a loss, and would you do it if you were 80 years old with a life-threatening heart condition?” she said.