A historic York hotel has installed ‘pods’ in its garden for a third successive winter, saying they have been a ‘lifeline.’
The latest move is without planning approval, but the Churchill Hotel says this is because Christmas is fast approaching and council planners are too slow.
LHR Catering sought to have seven pods in the hotel grounds permanently at 65 Bootham, but in August City of York Council refused the planning application, saying the pods would be of “uncharacteristic and harmful appearance.”
This led the hotel to try and gain planning approval to have them erected temporarily from October to February but the council has not yet determined the application.
Its latest application recalls how the hotel had to closed during the lockdowns, but in the previous two winters it used government-given rights for temporary pods to allow al-fresco dining.
“The pods proved immensely popular and were a lifeline for the hotel,” it said, noting their extra custom helped generate 7 full time and 11 part-time jobs.
Hotel general manager John Wallace told the Press: “Under Government Permitted Development rules the Hotel can erect a temporary marquee in the garden but as the Council had not determined the prior approval application for the Marquee within the stipulated timescale, the hotel decided to use the temporary pods again to maintain custom and avoid having to lay off staff.

“The marquee will take 6 to 8 weeks to be built and had the permitted development rights been granted for the marquee in the correct timescale, by early October, it could have been in place for the Christmas markets. 
“Since the decision has taken over a month longer than it should the hotel has had to apply to use the temporary pods for this festive season or face closing it garden with the resulting job losses while the council belatedly process the permitted development rights application.”

“The hotel is very grateful to the support that they have received from it’s ward councillors."

He added: "It’s all a bit of a mess. We don’t know what’s what.”
Despite their previous refusal, the Churchill Hotel believes the pods still preserve the ‘setting’ of the listed hotel.
Small independent hotels face growing competition and must meet new trends like al-fresco dining, which over 55s still seek despite the easing of social distancing.
“The proposed dining pods fit the Churchill’s strategic goals for this hotel and fine heritage asset to move with the market and to survive and thrive as one of York’s long-standing hotels,” it said.
The application added the council had approved measures allowing al-fresco dining in historic settings like outside the Grade II-listed Principal Hotel and around the Minster.
City of York Council declined to comment, saying the matter was still ‘active.’