A controversial application to convert the function room of an ‘iconic’ Aberaeron inn into a supermarket has been thrown out by county planners, the Cambrian News can reveal.

The banqueting suite of the Royal Feathers Hotel – an old coaching inn dating back to 1815 – was a long-established wedding venue which also hosted dinners, auctions and boxing shows.

Cardiff-based property developer Lawrence Dovey, of Doublet Holdings, who bought the Alban Square property last year, had pledged to try and operate the site as a commercially-viable business which would create local jobs.

Yet the partial change of use application had drawn widespread local opposition.

Local county councillor Elizabeth Evans revealed this week that she was contacted by a planning officer on Friday to ask for delegated powers to refuse the application.

“Having carefully read and considered the report of the planning officer against national policies and having re-read the many letters of objection, it was my view that the application had failed to meet the criteria of the planning policies under consideration for this application and should be refused on that basis,” she told the Cambrian News.

“It is my view that a change of use of the function room would severely undermine the integrity of the Feathers as a hotel and in turn, negatively impact on the accommodation offer in Aberaeron from a tourism perspective.

“The number of beds available to make a town like Aberaeron a viable destination for business and visitors is crucial.

“The impact of losing the town’s biggest function venue cannot be underestimated and is already being felt with business going outside Aberaeron.”

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