Planning Use Class - When is a pub a pub?

A frequent point of discussion is within which Use Class the various operating formats of the leisure industry falls into.  A traditional Public House is clearly Class A4 but today is there such a thing as a traditional Public House.  In a recent case Tesco Stores Limited against Leeds City Council, the different use classes were considered in depth by the Inspector and his reasoning provides interesting reading on the point. The full decision can be seen here: 'Tesco Stores Ltd v Leeds CC'.

The Inspector in this instance was prepared to look at the factual position in some detail but also took a pragmatic decision as to how the public view the operation of licensed premises. The inspector determined that the premises still was classed as A4 despite the view of the council that it may be mixed use.