A historical village pub in Pembrokeshire looks set for significant change, as plans have been submitted to transform the long-standing Drovers Arms into residential flats. The pub, located in the rural community of Puncheston, has stood empty since 2022 following the departure of its last landlord and now faces a new future amidst the declining viability of many rural pubs across Wales.
The proposal, submitted by Sandra Davis of O & D Enterprises Ltd through representatives Gerald Blain Associates Limited, is seeking partial retrospective planning permission from Pembrokeshire County Council. The application legitimises work already carried out on the building earlier this year, which prompted the issuing of an enforcement notice by the local authority. It outlines a desire to create four self-contained flats by remodelling the venue’s interior.
According to documents accompanying the application, the premises had previously included two separate bars: one facing the road and another, larger, space to the rear. Since the pub’s closure, the former has been removed to begin the conversion to residential accommodation. However, essential elements of its former use—including the commercial kitchen, toilet facilities, and landlord’s flat—remain untouched, as do the letting rooms on the upper floor.
The background to the application illustrates broader difficulties confronting publicans nationwide. Data from the British Beer and Pub Association indicates that 2,250 pubs have shuttered their doors across the UK in the past five years, with 289 closures recorded in 2024 alone. The majority, the report states, are victims of soaring costs—from increased energy bills and business rates to higher minimum wages and steep rises in food and beverage prices.
The statement submitted alongside the planning application highlights the acute nature of these challenges in the countryside. Rural locations such as Puncheston rely predominantly on a sparse population base and see most of their trade concentrated in the busy summer months. This seasonal influx is often insufficient to sustain such businesses through quieter periods in the year, making their survival increasingly precarious.
In the Drovers Arms’ case specifically, the age and size of the property have given rise to substantial maintenance and utility costs, further eroding profitability. Applicants argue that high running costs, combined with lower-than-needed year-round footfall, have rendered the business impossible to sustain. Several previous tenants have attempted to keep the pub trading, but none managed to establish a stable, long-term operation.
The planning application seeks not only to formalise changes already made—such as the installation of a new pitched roof in place of the former flat design and the addition of contemporary UPVC cladding—but also to convert the remainder of the building entirely into residential accommodation. This, the owners believe, would provide a practical use for the site while responding to the ongoing difficulties faced by independent rural hospitality businesses.
The future of the Drovers Arms will now be determined by Pembrokeshire County Council at a forthcoming meeting, where planners will assess the application against local needs and national planning policy. The decision will ultimately weigh the significance of safeguarding rural community assets against finding viable new uses for buildings rendered redundant by wider economic pressures.
The situation at Puncheston mirrors a national trend. As operational costs rise and trade diminishes in less populated areas, more communities are facing the prospect of losing their local pubs—a social fixture for many generations. The debate around such changes often centres on balancing historical or community value with practical realities, and how best to support villages adapting to shifting economic landscapes.
Many in the local area and beyond will await the council’s decision with keen interest, as it may set a precedent for similar proposals elsewhere in Wales and across the UK. The fate of the Drovers Arms thus symbolises a larger conversation about rural regeneration, community cohesion, and the changing face of village life in modern times.