Spaniard Inn Cargreen

[doug748]

I see there is an application to build pontoons and walkways at:
50.26'35.33N 04.12'15.26W
by a Mr J Arnold. I assume this is outside the closed pub. Details available to all at Saltash Library!
Has anyone got the inside view on this?

 

[Quandary]

Yes, his name is Robin, just sold his Sun Legende, understand he says its going to be really exclusive.

 

[Seagreen]

... understand he says its going to be really exclusive.

Not for the likes of me, then. Nothing quite as naff as "exclusive" in my book.

 

[maxi]

Mmm, had my credit card cloned at the Crooked Spaniard ! maybe they are now looking for bigger accounts to plunder.

 

[T_C]

The Arnold's own the pub so I would imagine the application is lnked to the pub.

I noticed the application over the weekend, it's tightly wrapped around a post outside the pub making it almost impossible to read. I was hoping to look it up online on the Cornwll County Council website but it's not listed there. I can't get to Saltash library during opening hours so if anyone can shed any further light on it that would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[jamesjermain]

I look out of my sitting room window at the closed front door of the Crooked Spaniard Inn every day and my heart bleeds. I also spoke to Justin Arnold a couple of days ago so you might say I have the inside track on this.
The application for a pontoon is, in fact, an application to DEFRA for clearance to put the pontoons in. It is not a planning aplication per se but the first stages towards an application. The Cargree YC and the Queens HArbour Master as well as the Dutchy or Cornwall have all been invited to comment.
The Arnolds have wider plans which have been, in current form, about two years in the forming and in general terms have been rumbling around for nearly 15 years. They have made at least two formal applications in the past, both of which have been turned down.
What they want to do is knock down all the 'new' part of the building (dining room etc) and build holiday-let flats plus four accommodation units in the car part. The old bit of the pub would be retained as a small watering hole with bar meals. In addition a funciton room and bar would be put on the first room for weddings etc. The pontoons would be for the use of clients of the pub/residents in the holiay lets though villagers might get a concession to use the pontoon late at night and early in the morning for loading and unloading boats on the moorings.
The last time the Arnolds put in this application it was very quickly followed by an application for change of use from a pub to housing.
The villagers of Cargreen are desperate to get the pub reopened and, to a degree, would welcome any plans which ensure the retention of some sort of pub. However, a large number of residents with long memories fear that all this is a first step towards developing the whole site for housing.

 

[doug748]

Thank you James, as I suspected then.
The Spaniard is one of the few riverside/marine pubs in the Westcounty (or in the whole country for that matter) that you can take a keel boat to in deep and protected water. It is in a very pretty and unspoiled setting.
For those that do not know it, imagine the Folly being developed for housing. Imagine that if planning permission where not granted the owners closed it down and left it that way for several years. The cynic might say this is a classic arm twisting tatic.

Is there an address for any organised group against the plans?

 

[jamesjermain]

There is no organised group at present, largely beause there is no current planning application. When a new one is submitted - which we anticipate, there will be some sort of co-ordinated reaction as there was the previous time. I don't want to prejudice the situation by saying we would be either against or for any particular set of plans.

 

[DJE]

There is no organised group at present, largely beause there is no current planning application. When a new one is submitted - which we anticipate, there will be some sort of co-ordinated reaction as there was the previous time. I don't want to prejudice the situation by saying we would be either against or for any particular set of plans.

Community Pub?

 

[Neil_Y]

It's such a shame, it used to be a great pub with great food and was well worth the round trip from the other side of the river.

There are still a few great pubs in the vicinity worth the journey,
The Plough in Bere Ferrers, and our Local the Drake Manor in Buckland monachorum. You can get to The Plough by boat but have a look at the chart and check the tides first, there is a tidal road from Lopwell dam but you'll need quite a good 4x4 to get up the hill.

Lets hope the Spaniards somehow returns to the old pub values, even if it does mean a fe more houses.

 

[Kitcat]

It may be of interest to note that, all these years later, nothing has really progressed. The pub is still closed, apart from a few weddings a year, and the most recent planning application was refused. As I write, there is an ongoing consultation exercise to see what would be acceptable, but the whole venture seems quite dubious [to me at least], with no-one seemingly wanting to trust the applicants at face value.

Such a shame, as it would be, and was, a delightful pub and it would be nice to be able to take a boat upriver, or drive there and overlook one of the most fabulous spots on the river for a meal and a drink.