The Ship has finally sailed at South Harting

Plans for the former pub have now been submitted to the South Downs National Park Authority.

Time was finally called in May 2012 after The Ship had suffered a chequered 18 months.

Long-standing landlady Juno Orpen-Palmer weighed anchor and left in 2009.

She had been a familiar face behind the bar for 21 years, but aged 68 and having run it in her own for 13 years she decided it was time to call it a day.

A series of managers followed until Cliff Parry took over on Christmas Eve 2010 and quickly became part of village life.

But to the disappointment of villagers he was given notice to quit by owners, the Wellington Pub Company, in 2012 and called last orders on Sunday May 6.

The pub was sold to property developers.

At the time Mr Parry told the Observer: “Initially they were going to run it as a pub, possibly with me taking the lease or tenancy, but when they had a structural survey carried out, they found so much needed doing that it probably would not be allowed to open as a commercial undertaking and so they decided in their wisdom to close it down.

He said whether it opened up as a pub again was ‘a matter of conjecture’.

Now The Ship Partnership has submitted plans to turn the historic two storey detached Grade II listed building which is believed to date from the 17th century, into two houses.

In his design and assess statement to the planning authority chartered town planner for the partnership Stephen Jupp said: “The proposed subdivision of the property follows a clear historical change in the development of the building and ensures that the original part falls solely within one of the units.”

He added: “Any changes to the property to facilities such a change of use are minimal and largely restricted to removing modern fittings or poor additions associated with its use as a public house.

“The proposal will not detract from its character and appearance as a grade II listed building.

“In fact the change of use will be beneficial to the building due to the investment that will follow in improving the fabric of the building which has deteriorated over time.”

He said there would be high protection of the character and appearance of the building in compliance with planning authority policy.

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