Keepers Cottage in Old Langho to be transformed into boutique hotel

Rebecca and Jamie Govier, who own the Black Bull in Old Langho, submitted a planning application to Ribble Valley Borough Council in September, for Keepers Cottage, which is located across the road from their pub.

The property, which dates back to the early 1700s, is situated at the junction of Northcote Road and Old Langho Road, close to Brockhall Village, but has sat dormant for several years.

Inside Keepers Cottage (Image: Council)

In March, after acquiring the property, Mr and Mrs Govier announced their plans to convert the run-down building into a boutique hotel by demolishing some parts of the building and creating an eight-bedroomed establishment featuring a guest lounge with bar, terrace, kitchen and breakfast room.

In a statement submitted to the planning committee, Mrs Govier said: “Myself and my husband took over the Black Bull Inn, Old Langho, four years ago.

"When we took over the pub it was extremely dilapidated, and we have spent our own personal money transforming the pub into a well-established business that is once again the hub of the community.

“In order to progress our current business, we need to be able to offer rooms for our guests. Keepers Cottage was put on the market and was in a state of disrepair.

“Myself and my husband bought Keepers Cottage and its extensive curtilage which includes the three-holiday lets previously approved, with the vision to restore it and turn it into a luxury boutique hotel.”

Keepers Cottage plans (Image: Council)

In October, planning officers said the size of the planned extensions for Keepers Cottage would be too big for the existing building and others nearby, including homes and a pub, which are generally modest in size and have simpler, traditional rural designs, and recommended the application be refused.

This recommendation for refusal accompanied objections from Billington and Langho Parish Council, which raised concerns with regards to the visual impact of the proposal and its impact upon the surrounding highway network.

Doubts were also raised with regards to the need for additional visitor accommodation within the immediate area.

However, no further objections were raised and the application was granted on December 2.

The planning application stated that the building was in "poor condition", and the roof structure would need to be removed to allow the first floor to be increased in height.

Much of the interior has already been ripped out ready for renovation, with plans to extend the rear of the property to accommodate the bedrooms.

Most external walls will remain, however, internal walls including steel beams will have to be removed in order to accommodate the new layout including the existing staircase.

The application states: “Essentially, the building will be stripped back to a shell structure in order to allow the construction work to extend the property to be carried out.”

The construction will use original materials, with plans to expose the original stonework will be by removing the render, which will “significantly improve” the visual appearance of the building, the plans claim.