Historic Blue Lion pub in North Pickenham could be turned into housing as owners say it is no longer viable

A historic village pub could be turned into housing, as its owners say the business is no longer viable.

The Blue Lion pub in North Pickenham could become a three-bedroom home under new plans.

Wendy and Richard Pyne, owners of the pub, are hoping to repurpose the building after the business closed its doors in December 2021.

The Grade II listed property stood empty for nearly five years before the pair took it on in 2017 after a community project to raise enough money to purchase the venue fell through.

Mr and Mrs Pyne say the business is no longer financially viable and that the pub had been “another victim to the Covid lockdowns”.

They had submitted plans to turn the building into a house in 2022 but these were refused by Breckland Council, which said the proposals would result in the “loss of a local community asset”.

However, the new application argues that the pub’s history of successive landlords over a short period and poor financial forecasts indicate that the business is unsustainable.

Breckland Council will consider whether to approve the plans in due course.