EXCLUSIVERussell Brand abandons plans to convert 800-year-old pub in a picturesque hamlet into recording studios for his podcasts after furious backlash from villager
Russell Brand has abandoned his plans to convert an 800-year-old pub in a picturesque hamlet into recording studios for his podcasts after being met with fury by villagers who called him a scoundrel.
Russell Brand has abandoned his plans to convert an 800-year-old pub in a picturesque hamlet into recording studios for his podcasts after being met with fury by villagers who called him a scoundrel.
Brand has been at war with residents in the village of Pishill, Oxfordshire, ever since he bought The Crown Inn four years ago during the pandemic on the understanding that he wanted to keep it as a working boozer.
But since then the doors of the pub in the heart of the tiny village have remained shut, sparking outrage within the community who accused Brand of treating the village like a playground.
Brand has never opened the pub and has tried several times to convert the historic asset into a recording studio for his rant-filled videos and podcasts on YouTube.
His first planning application was submitted in November last year and was rejected after the council received more than 50 objections from fuming locals.
Russell Brand has abandoned plans to convert an 800-year-old pub in a picturesque hamlet into recording studios after being met with fury by villagers who called him a scoundrel
Brand has been at war with residents in the village of Pishill, Oxfordshire, ever since he bought The Crown Inn four years ago on the understanding he wanted to keep it as a working boozer
Brands plans for the pub have been scrapped for a second time after he withdrew them from the council website for a second time in a year
Locals have accused Brand of treating the picturesque village like a playground
A fortnight later the star submitted a rendition of the plans, which were later mysteriously withdrawn by his production company.
In July, he made a new application to convert the historic site into a mixed use venue that would see media studios, offices and a function room operate out of the building.
But last week villagers gathered in a field to protest the plans - dubbing the actor a scoundrel as they expressed fears the council would eventually cave in and accept his plans and they would lose their community pub forever.
And now his plans have been scrapped for a second time after he withdrew them from the council website for a second time in a year.
Amongst those against his plans was retired farmer David Orpwood who moaned: When he goes, well still be here. Hes going to b*****r up the pub and well be left with nothing.
Meanwhile Josh Robinson-Ward who was married at the venue added: Hes said from the beginning he had plans to open the pub but never has and its unclear that hell have to open it if this goes through.
From the off I think he thought that if he had enough money he could just do what he wants.
Yet today it was confirmed that Brands production company, Pablo Diablos Legitimate Business Firm Limited, has withdrawn the planning application once more.
South Oxfordshire District Council had planned to make a decision by Friday, but before they did the plans were revoked.
The council has now noted on its planning portal that the development plans had failed to meet a number of its planning criteria.
This included the plans being unsustainable as it would not result in the expansion or growth of an existing business.
Planners also noted that changing the use of the site would undermine the viability of the public house.
The withdrawal of Brands planning application will be welcome news to many villagers who had strongly opposed the plans
It also noted that planners had failed to outline how noise would be minimised for neighbours if the outhouse was converted into a digital media production studio.
The withdrawal of the planning application will be welcome news to many villagers who had strongly opposed the plans.
Tom, 39, who wished not to use his surname, moved to the tiny village with his young family over a year ago, believing the pub, which closed down during Covid, would be up and running again soon.
He previously told MailOnline: What Russell wanted is somewhere to run his empire from. He could have done that anywhere.
What he has done is bought a pub at a commercial rate - meaning the property is probably worth three times the price he paid for it if it was residential for instance - and he told people in the village that he would keep it running as a community space.
Its a visited pub, a very friendly village, it is a very good community and he has taken that building away.
Leigh Walton, 70, and her husband have lived in the village for 30 years and said the boozer is an institution of the tight knit village.
She previously said: We are going to lose our pub and they might even alter a listed building that dates back to about the 12th century, when ale was sold on the site and has been a public house since the 16th century.
Its just terrible really. We used to eat there quite a lot and lots of the local people used to meet there every Friday night. It was a regular place for people to go.
Since disappearing from mainstream media, Brand has created his own podcast, Stay Free where he speaks of revolutionary politics and spiritual awakenings and streamed his content on various video platforms, which neighbours say he creates from his Pishill pub.
Neighbours said that prior to any approval, Brand had been using the space to record his YouTube videos and podcasts, as well as hold meetings, which they claimed sometimes brought 20 or 30 cars onto the country road.
Last year, the British actor was accused of rape, sexual assault and emotional abuse dating back to the height of his career, with police investigating claims.
Brand has vehemently denied all allegations.
MailOnline has contacted South Oxfordshire District Council and Brand for comment.
