Plans to turn The Queens Head pub in Holybourne into a children’s nursery have been submitted to East Hampshire District Council.

The pub closed on July 1, 2024. The proposed nursery would be run by First Friends, a family-owned business already operating five nurseries in Hampshire and Wiltshire.

One of these is associated with Wootey Infant School in Alton. Demand from parents, particularly those with babies, has been consistently high since First Friends took over in 2021. That nursery is now full and has a waiting list.

Condo Properties has applied to change the use of the London Road pub to a nursery, keeping a car park with 12 spaces at the front and creating an outdoor play area at the back.

Internal alterations would include removing the bar and some further reconfiguration of the space. The upper floors would not be used initially but would potentially provide further floor space to give the nursery a capacity of 53 children.

Two small single-storey structures to the west of the building would be demolished and a fence would be put up around the play area on part of the former beer garden. The pub sign would be retained to provide a sign for the nursery.

Opening hours would be 7.30am until 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, with staff on site from 7.15am until 6.45pm. With not every child expected to attend full-time, it is anticipated that between 100 and 150 children would be registered with the nursery.

At capacity the nursery would employ 17 full-time and part-time staff. It would be closed on bank holidays and for a week at Christmas.

The planning application reference number is EHDC-25-0718-FUL and the public consultation period continues until August 4. To view the application visit https://publicaccess.easthants.gov.uk/planning/index.html?fa=getApplication&id=180888