Bid to turn village pub into a house

The Three Horseshoes in Oxford Road closed down last month when landlady Jeanette Cadd decided to retire after 30 years behind the bar.

When she spoke to the Oxford Mail at the time, Mrs Cadd had not decided what to do with the free house.

But plans have now been submitted to Oxford City Council turn the historic building into a house.

Mrs Cadd’s husband Michael confirmed last night that the Grade II-listed pub had been sold about a month ago.

Now Highland Projects Ltd has applied for change of use and listed building consent to convert it into a house.

If the plans are approved by the city council, the Three Horseshoes will become a single family home.

Charlie Haynes, chairman of Old Marston Parish Council, said: “I think this is excellent that it will be used as a family house.

“Turning it into a house will be a good use of the property and better than letting it go the way of other pubs.”

The earliest record of the Three Horseshoes as a pub was in 1753 and, before being a pub, is believed to have been a forge.

Historical records show it sits in the earliest settled part of Old Marston and its structure has changed little since it first opened for business.

In the application, it is claimed the loss of the Three Horseshoes would be justified, given there are two other pubs in Old Marston.

The planning application said: “Old Marston would continue to be served by two other public houses, the Red Lion and the Victoria Arms.

“These alternative public houses are thus easily accessible by local residents, and would maintain the variety of choice due to the two remaining pubs offering a different experience.”

In recent years Marston has lost the Bricklayer’s Arms, which is being turned into a house, the Cavalier, turned into student housing, and the Friar, which is set to become a Tesco store.

In the past five years 18 pubs across Oxford have closed down.

Last night Highlands Projects was unavailable for comment.