AN UPMARKET wedding venue is looking to transform a barn into 14-room hotel.

An application has been put in for Bashall Barn to change the use of a former brewery building to a hotel for guests and staff accommodation.

The Bashall Eaves venue is an exclusive wedding setting with panoramic views across the Ribble Valley.

Before the coronavirus restrictions came in, the venue could accommodate between 50-130 seated guests with up to 200 guests for the evening reception but it only has a honeymoon suite and points guests to accommodation nearby.

A report to planners said: “The former brewery building to the rear of the wedding room has been suffering with roofing issues.

“When looking at replacing the roof we thought this could be an opportunity to also improve the wedding facility and provide very small-scale B&B accommodation.”

It added that the new overnight accommodation would have no visual impact on the buildings in the area as it is inside the barn.

The report said: “The proposed works are to be internal alterations with only a few minor alterations to the external appearance of the property.

“The creation of the access corridor through the barn to the wedding room at the rear will redirect people from walking along Twitter Lane and through the building. This will improve safety and reduce any disturbance to the properties close to the site.

“This change of use will not lead to an increase to the volume of traffic above that currently experienced when weddings are being held.

“The proposed overnight accommodation will result in reduced late night traffic leaving the site.”

Planners said the new hotel rooms would be a boost for the area.

The report said: “The proposed works will provide an improved package for weddings being held at Bashall Barn resulting in increased bookings.

“When weddings are not being held there will be B&B rooms that can be let strengthening visitor economy.”