Dozens of residents have objected to plans to convert a historic pub which has been closed for months into a nursery.

Pub owner Sean Perry of Two Hats Limited promised to reopen the Malt and Hops on South Street after closing for refurbishment in May 2023.

But now he said it was not financially viable to keep the building as a pub.

Roof repairs and the inability to obtain a license for live music outside left Perry with an empty establishment for more than a year.

So the landlord worked with Sarah Reynard and Abbie Sleeman, who own the Nurture Den in Lymington, to submit planning permission.

READ MORE: Meet the Hythe duo bringing nursery to Malt & Hops site

At the time of writing, the plans have received 132 official comments, 126 of which were objections, as residents try to save the venue.

Malt and Hops owner Sean Perry said: “When I bought the pub, I kept the landlady on at a six-monthly rent contract and she knew it was always going to come to an end.

“No pub chain in their right mind would take it in this state.”

Sean was refurbishing the Malt and Hops for his daughter – who runs a pub that he owns in Brockenhurst – to take over, but after she had a baby, that option was no longer on the table.

The Commoners Bar in Brockenhurst, which Sean owns and his daughters run.The Commoners Bar in Brockenhurst, which Sean owns and his daughters run. (Image: Sean Perry) “I was burning money on an empty building and pubs are really struggling at the moment,” Sean said.

“The old landlady wanted to see out the pool and darts season so we did that. But it couldn’t go on forever; I’m an independent guy with two pubs, I can’t keep losing money on it.”

READ MORE: Community mourning pub as plan submitted to convert it into a nursery

Hythe South Councillor Mark Clark said: “It’s sad, for obvious reasons, to see a very old-fashioned pub that we used to drink in close, but the problem is, of course, that it’s use it or lose it.

“What has happened is a surprise to a lot of people over this change of use. No doubt, it will come to planning at some point and we can have a discussion.

“Any local pub that people know, respect and have been using for decades, which is the case for the Malt and Hops, it’s quite sad to see it close.”

Cllr Clark noted that the change of use application will go to the planning committee, though he does not serve on the panel himself.