A RURAL pub which has seen a number of tenants bankrupted and others losing money could be turned into a luxury holiday let.

The owner of the Blue Ball, at Triscombe, West Bagborough, has applied to Somerset West and Taunton Council for a change of use permission.

The premises has been empty since February and the owner has been unable to find anyone prepared to take it on as a pub.

Since he took it on in 2008, three tenants have gone bankrupt; two experienced trading difficulties and were unable to pay suppliers; another went into liquidation; and seventh ran the business at a loss.

The owner has tried to keep the premises as a pub and is now determined to ensure it does not fall empty and can become a profitable location in the future.

A statement with the application says: "Prior to the recent closure, the owners had invested heavily in renovation works to the building.

"Whilst it was hoped that the renovation works would help the business trade more successfully, it is now known that the fundamental change in the nature of the pub trade has not altered.

"Therefore, rural pubs are being forced to diversify their ‘offer’ to remain viable and for many it is an obvious choice to offer accommodation.

"In particular in areas where there are wider recreation opportunities, such as on the Quantocks, accommodation is a very logical addition as people are drawn to the area for a wider range of activities and already looking for accommodation options.

"Essentially for The Blue Ball to remain an open and trading business it needs to look for alternative methods to generate revenue."

The owner's plans are to convert the Blue Ball into a luxury holiday let to accommodate up to eight people, along with a further eight in the adjacent Tally Ho property.

New furniture, fixtures and fittings would be installed to lift the property into the target luxury market.

The pub building itself will keep its working bar and cellar creating a unique selling point for the rental market while also allowing for the property to act as an events venue and possible in the future even back to a pub.

The statement adds: "Following a successful launch of the Blue Ball as a holiday let, the owner would like to continue to upgrade and develop the site to continue to improve the customer experience.

"Any future improvements will again aim to emphasise the Blue Ball as a historical pub and keep the bar and cellar at the heart of the property."