Plans submitted to revive closed Ripon pub with food trailers serving coffee, pizza and ice cream

Coffee, stone-baked pizza and ice cream could soon be served from the car park of a closed Ripon pub under plans to bring it back to life, as proposals for 145 new homes in the village also emerge.

Roast & Roam Coffee Co Ltd has submitted a planning application to North Yorkshire Council to use part of the car park at the Staveley Arms in North Stainley for up to four vintage food trailers.

The proposals come as North Stainley Estate, which includes pub owner Lightwater Leisure Limited, works on a separate residential scheme for around 145 homes in the village.

The housing plans are focused on land on the opposite side of the A6108, including the former petrol station site.

A planning application is expected to be ready in late 2026 or early 2027.

Planning documents state that the proposed housing development would help support the long-term viability of the pub, which could eventually reopen as a pub-café, restaurant and events venue, incorporating a farm shop and village store.

However, the applicant of the food trailer proposal stresses that the two schemes are separate and the food venue did not depend on the housing development proceeding.

The pub, which stands beside the A6108 between Ripon and Masham, near the Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park, closed in January last year.

According to supporting statements, the pub has had five operators in the past 12 years, with high running costs and insufficient trade making it difficult to operate profitably.

The applicant says their aim is to establish a successful food and drink business in the car park before reopening the pub itself.

The statement says: “The plan is to start small, build year-round trade on the site first with low overheads, and then reopen the building into that established footfall in a transformed format.”

The proposals would see up to four matching 1970s-style Rice trailers installed on the existing car park, initially selling coffee, stone-baked pizza and ice cream.

A fourth trailer could be introduced later, potentially selling locally sourced game.

Picnic benches would be provided beneath stretch-tent canopies, with heaters and sheepskins allowing year-round use.

Free outdoor games, including giant Jenga and Connect 4, would also be available.

The applicant says the scheme would create three full-time and seven part-time jobs, with local recruitment prioritised.

The venue would operate during daytime hours, with no alcohol sales or amplified music.

Temporary planning permission is being sought for three years, with all structures removable.

The existing car park would retain 32 parking spaces, including four disabled bays, alongside space for 40 bicycles and 20 motorcycles.

In a letter supporting the application, Stephen Bradley, group chief executive of Lightwater Leisure Limited, acknowledged the impact of the pub’s closure on the village.

He said: “The Staveley Arms is a valued community asset, and it will be retained as one.”

“While the pub has been closed, the car park has stood empty, and we recognise the impact this has had on the village.”

“Lightwater Leisure Limited is committed to seeing the site return to active community use, and we regard the Roast & Roam proposal as the first step towards reopening the pub in a transformed format, on a sustainable footing.”

The landowner said the temporary scheme would help build up trade before the pub reopened, adding that it was confident the proposals would bring meaningful benefits to North Stainley.

The applicant’s supporting statement adds: “It’s aim is that the next time the Staveley Arms opens, it never closes again.”