The owners of an historic pub and hotel in Aberaeron have lost their controversial bid to turn its function room into a supermarket.

Laurence Dovey, of Doublet Holdings (Aberaeron), applied to Ceredigion County Council for planning permission to convert the function room of Aberaeron’s Feathers Royal Hotel into a convenience store.

This was rejected by county planners in May, and the hoteliers appealed. But that appeal was rejected on Friday by a Welsh Government inspector.

Inspector Alwyn Nixon dismissed the appeal, saying the proposed changes would harm the building’s special architectural and historic character.

He added that he found nothing to suggest that the Feathers is inherently unviable as a hotel business.

“Overall, I conclude that the proposal would result in the loss of an important community facility and diminish the area’s tourist accommodation offer; would have harmful implications for highway safety; and would cause significant harm to the Grade II-listed building and its setting and to the character and appearance of the Aberaeron Conservation Area,” he said.

The partial change of use application had drawn widespread local opposition.

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now