Landlord sees red over demand to paint over bull on historic pub

A pub landlord has branded his council a "bully" after it ordered him to paint over a huge bull's head on the side of his 400-year-old inn.

Martin Peel paid £1,200 for an artist to create the 8ft mural on the side of The Bull's Head. The artwork was completed in April and Mr Peel said it was a big hit with visitors to the pub in the picturesque Warwickshire village of Wootton Wawen, near Henley-in-Arden.

But last week Mr Peel, 52, received a letter from Stratford District Council saying it violated planning rules for listed properties. The father-of-two, who has been running the 16th-century pub for three years, was given four weeks to paint over the giant Hereford bull or face legal action.

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Mr Peel, who manages the pub with his partner Omm, 43, said: "It's a beautiful pub and the painting communicates what we do. It was meant to be eye-catching and a bit of fun while respecting the heritage of the building.

"It's an impressive structure. It's historic but a lot of people think we're just a big house which can be confusing for people.

"We feel it's a mural that works in line with the era of the heritage. We take the heritage very seriously.

"We've put a new bar and period fireplace and chimney in a room that's been ignored which was all done at our own cost. That has been done through planning but we just didn't realise this was a crime.

"The council just said 'it's not acceptable'. We get a lot of positive comments from people in the pub, you get people stopping and taking pictures with it.

"It doesn't detract from the heritage of the building. We did have a large vinyl banner at the front which looked awful, it didn't suit the pub."

Mr Peel, a former aircraft mechanic, said he believed the council was alerted by just one villager who didn't like the design.

He vowed to fight the ruling saying the painting was done by an artist using traditional methods. He added: "We're getting special consultation from a local planner but we've been told we can't get planning retrospectively.

"We want to approach the council formally and need to do things properly. There will be someone in the village who has lived in an old house for years, checked in with the council maybe and didn't like it.

"We are determined to keep the bull painting. We'd be obliterating three days of work by an artist using skills which are dying out. Everything we do is with an eye on heritage. We see ourselves as a temporary custodians of this wonderful pub."

"Every piece of art is unique."

The painting was done by artist Phil Taylor who has been signwriting for 40 years.

Many residents have rallied around Mr Peel, saying the painting has helped "put the village on the map".

One local, called Jim, said: "It's a real shame someone living here has moaned to the council for no reason. This person has probably never even set foot inside the Bull. If they had they'd see what an amazing job Martin and Omm are doing."

Another blasted: "Typical bully council throwing their bloody weight around. Why punish someone like Martin for doing something positive? The bull mural looks amazing and has put this place on the map."

Mr Peel has instructed lawyers to investigate appealing the decision but Stratford District Council refused to comment on the case.

A spokesperson said: "Unfortunately we don't comment on live enforcement cases."