Comedian Russell Brand will not be turning his Oxfordshire pub into a "trendy vegan restaurant", contrary to reports. 

Vegan teetotaller Mr Brand, who has upset a neighbour with his plans for a recording studio at The Crown in Pishill, was understood to want to turn it into a vegan diner.

A local told The Sun: "We’ve heard he’s planning to turn the pub into a vegan restaurant. Why would anybody want that?

"He clearly never had any intention of using the pub as a pub. He doesn’t even drink alcohol. Why buy a pub if you don’t like drink?"

But the local council confirms as things stand he won't be serving healthy treats when the pub reopens.

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A spokesperson for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils said: "The address given is not registered as a food business with South Oxfordshire District Council at this time."

Mr Brand is facing opposition to his plans to create a recording studio at the 15th former coaching inn near Henley.

He has applied to South Oxfordshire District Council for "change of use of garage to recording studio with minor external alterations".

It is believed Mr Brand, 47, plans to record his You Tube channel on the site.

Documents say: "The entire property has recently undergone a change of ownership and the public house is temporarily closed whilst plans to refurbish the building and formulate the nature of the new establishment are put in place. 

 

 

"The intention is to re-open the public house in due course. In the meantime, it is being occupied in part by staff working on a freelance basis for the applicant. 

"Delivery of the new studio will mean that the production staff can be relocated to it and that plans for re-opening the public house can be driven forward."

But neighbour Caroline Dempsey has opposed the plans, citing a stand-up show Mr Brand put on in The Barn.

She wrote: "A performance by Russell Brand of his stand-up show has provided a taste of life under the new owners; there were cars left anyhow and everywhere, double and triple parked with at least eight on the proposed development site.

"It is therefore our considered opinion that The Crown cannot currently sustain the business model adopted by the owners due to an insufficient number of parking spaces when all areas i.e. the offices, studios and performance venue (The Barn) are operational and that as Russell and Laura Brand continue to become more successful, as I hope and am sure they will be, the parking and road safety issues will only become worse."

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The Environmental Protection team and Pishill with Stonor Parish Council have also cited concerns over the impact of noise.

The parish council added that they wanted to see some progress on the reopening of the pub before any additional uses are considered.

Mr Brand and his wife Laura, who live in Henley, bought The Crown in March 2020.

He has said the pub will reopen and be refurbished once his recording studio has been built.

 

 

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