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Search the Public Notice PortalA former pub owned by a sitting Somerset councillor is to be turned into a private house after plans were unanimously approved.
Councillor Kevin Messenger, one of two Liberal Democrat division members for Castle Cary, owns the Bay Tree pub on the B3152 South Street at the southern entrance to the south.
The Grade II listed premises has been closed to the public since October 2025, with efforts by Cooper and Tanner to market the pub (with a guide price of £465,000) having attracted "no viable purchaser".
Somerset Council's planning committee south (which handles major applications within the former South Somerset area) has now given its blessing for the former pub to be turned into a private dwelling, arguing the town already has a sustainable night-time economy without it.
The former pub lies within Castle Cary's conservation area, a short distance north of the town's cemetery and a proposed development of 46 homes which was approved on appeal in November 2025.
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The pub closed due to "declining trade, increased operating cost and changing customers behaviours", shutting its doors a few weeks before the nearby appeal had concluded.
The plans will see only minimal alterations to the listed building, making it more accessible for potential owners while maintaining its historic character and appearance.
The plans came before the planning committee south in Yeovil on Tuesday afternoon (September 15) due to Mr Messenger being a sitting councillor - though he did not take any part in the committee's debate.
Councillor Tom Power (Conservative, Wincanton and Bruton) welcomed the plans, stating: "I know that pubs are now becoming a bit of a rarity, especially in rural areas,
"But I don't think this will make a major impact since Castle Cary has already got two pubs."
Councillor Stephen Page (Lib Dem, Somerton) agreed: "I do have some local knowledge of Castle Cary, and I know the owner had been trying to sell the pub for a couple of years without success [before its closure].
"It's quite a way out of the town centre and it really is just not viable.
"In the centre of Castle Cary there are two pubs, one of which is being refurbished by the owners of The Newt, and there are plenty of cafés and restaurants as well."
The plans were approved unanimously by the committee after 20 minutes' debate.
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