High Peak pub shutting after developers win appeal to build petrol station and drive thru

The Fickle Mermaid in Chapel-en-le-Frith was due to close last year when the application was put in to demolish the pub and build a petrol station.

High Peak Borough Council Development and Control Committee refused the application last year saying “We deserve better than what has been submitted.”

Speaking last year, councillor Jean Todd raised concerns about demolishing a building which was only built around ten years ago, saying demolishing such a new building seems like a ‘loss to carbon’.

From then the pub on Forrester Way went from strength to strength and business appeared to be booming.

However, an appeal was lodged by applicant Robert Buffha last month and was successful - meaning the pub will be knocked down and replaced with a 24-hour, eight-pump filling station and takeaway coffee store.

The staff at the Fickle Mermaid say they were not told about the appeal decision until this month.

One staff member, who asked not to be named said: “I am so annoyed at how this has been handled.

“If the decision came through weeks ago why are we only now finding out.

“This is a busy pub, one that attracts people for both food and drink so for the applicant to say it is not financially viable is a joke.”

Staff at the Marston’s Brewery said they will be offered jobs at other pubs in the chain in the area but for staff members who can not drive this will mean they will be out of a job.

Another staff member, who again asked to not be named, said: “It’s rubbish, there’s no other way to describe how everyone is feeling. In fact it’s worse than rubbish - it’s shocking.

“Marston’s is a company which prides itself on being invested in people but this feels very underhand and we haven’t been kept in the loop at all.”

The last day of trading will be Saturday February, 25 and all customers are welcome to come along for one last hurrah.

Marston’s, which own the pub, has not responded to any requests for comment.

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