When we heard the Hare and Hounds at Lane Ends was for sale back in July, the WACA Board agreed we should investigate the risk of the pub and B&B ceasing to be a going concern, so we met with the agent who showed us around.
At the time, we had been reassured that it was very likely that the pub would be sold as a going concern, but we are now aware that it has been sold, and a Change of Use application has been submitted to Calderdale Council Planning Department. We’ve set up an initial consultation to guage support in WACA challenging this (you can still respond here if you’ve not already done so), and have received very positive feedback in the vast majority of responses. As a result, at the end of 2025, we submitted a Community Right to Bid application to register the Hare and Hounds Inn as an Asset of Community Value, as an initial statement of intent to challenge any Change of Use applications.
As of Tuesday 13th January the Change of Use applciation has gone live and appears here on the Calderdale Planning Portal. So now the clock is ticking, with a deadline for objections of Tuesday 3rd February.
Following more than 300 responses to our online survey, with an overwhelming 98% support for WACA to take action, we have been researching and collating evidence. We believe we can make a very powerful objection to the Change of Use application, evidencing what we already know – that the Hare and Hounds Inn would, indeed, make a viable and successful community pub.
What can you do next?
1: Attend either of the public meetings that WACA is holding on Friday 23rd January: either 3 – 4:30pm or 7 – 8:30pm at Wadsworth Community Centre.
2: Every individual response really does count, so please do consider writing to Calderdale Planning Department yourself. We will be giving advice about this at the Public Meetings.
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Future Projects
If you’d like to get involved or have suggestions of projects for WACA to follow up please get in touch by email to info@WACAcoop.org.uk