The Greyhound pub in Wargrave has been closed in December 2021 after its tenant landlord Steve Linstead retired.
A year afterwards, a plan emerged to convert the pub into a wine bar, guest house and shop.
As well as changes to the main building, consent was also given to add to an outbuilding to create offices.
Work began at the pub in the winter of 2023/24, with the transformation project continuing.
Scaffolding up at pub in Berkshire village as transformation project takes place
Photos show the inside of the building being obscured by curtains while work progresses.
The rear of the pub is a building site, with Essex Masonry Services conducting work on the conversion.
The Greyhound has been taken over by H’Artisan speciality coffee shop, a neighbouring business in Wargrave run by husband and wife Nick and Sarah Hart.
The conversion of the former Greyhound pub in Wargrave is being undertaken by H’artisan, a busy café in the village. (Image: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service)
H’Artisan has a reputation for high-quality coffee and pastries and partnering with the Rapha Cycling Club to provide a convenient stop-off for cyclists.
The conversion project was approved by Wokingham Borough Council’s planning department in July 2023.
Since then, a series of follow-up applications have been submitted by Mr Hart while work takes place.
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The first of these was an application focused on the outbuilding, which would have changed the roof over external stairs, roof lights and the location of the window for the building.
This application was refused as the change would have materially altered the
appearance of the outbuilding as it was originally approved.
However, a later plan for these changes was given the go-ahead last year.
A Wokingham Borough Council planning officer wrote: “The rooflights proposed, whilst a numerical increase on what was previously approved, are noticeably smaller in scale.
“Their form would still be that of flush conservation rooflights that retain an adequate level of symmetry.
“Overall, the impact of the changes proposed would not adversely harm the visual amenities of the Wargrave Conservation Area.”
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Other changes that involve lowering the height of the existing chimney and replacing windows and external doors with timber-framed double glazing were also approved last year.
It is not clear when The Greyhound will reopen.
You can view the various applications that have been decided by typing the references below into the borough council’s planning portal:
- 223795 – conversion project, approved in July 2023
- 240044 – changes to outbuilding, refused in January 2024
- 240678- lowering the chimney, approved in May 2024
- 241912- replacement of windows and doors with double glazing, approved in September 2024
- 242002 – changes to outbuilding, approved in September 2024
