FIVE Craven pubs and hotels have either closed or could close in the near future due to crippling market conditions.

Two more hotels have submitted plans to convert their premises into residential properties.

The Herald has already reported that the owners of both the Fox and Hounds at Starbotton and the Goat Gap Inn near Clapham have submitted plans to convert the buildings for residential use.

The former cited foot and mouth as the main reason for the application, while the latter said it was due to a shortage of staff. The Black Horse at Hellifield also recently closed its doors.

And this week, a list of applications submitted to Craven District Council's planning committee, reveal plans to convert both the Bowerley Country Hotel at Langcliffe and the Bridge Hotel at Ingleton for residential use.

The application for the Bowerley Country Hotel is for full planning permission to convert the hotel into flats and houses including five two-bedroom units and three three-bedroom units.

A business status report submitted by the Bowerley Country Hotel partnership to the council, said the partners had had to come to terms with the fact there was "no realistic future" for the business in its present form.

It adds that despite a thorough upgrading of the facilities, "a combination of market conditions culminating in the current severe downturn due to foot and mouth disease" have been responsible for the demise of the business.

"Attempts to sell the business over the last 12 months have so far failed and we are informed that a recovery in the market for hotels in foot and mouth affected areas is unlikely before the spring of 2002 or when evidence of a trading recovery can be shown, which may be much later."

It continues: "In common with others in the industry we are finding that new legislation in the areas of employment law, health and safety, taxation, the environmental fuel levy, staff recruitment and increasing wage costs are exacerbating the problems."

Meanwhile, an application for outline planning permission has been submitted to change land at the Bridge Hotel from its current use to that of residential.

The Herald WAS unable to contact the hotel's owners quoted as the Bridge Inn Partnership, but a letter from John Moore and Partners architects acting on their behalf, said: "The hotel has been struggling to remain viable for several years and recently the tenants were declared bankrupt. The business has therefore failed.

"The existing building and business has been on the market for over 12 months without any prospective purchasers coming forward. Therefore the present owners would like to explore other uses for the land."

The pub was run for six years by Kathryn and Ian Merrick, who back in March, took a stand against foot and mouth by starting a petition demanding compensation for the tourism industry.

They told the Herald at the time that if the current situation continued, they would have to sell up.

The couple revealed that their business was down 60 per cent on last year and that even if the crisis was to end that month, it would take them to the end of the year to get back to normal.

o This week also saw an application for full planning permission to knock down Skipton's Horse Close pub and put eight houses up in its place.

Outline planning permission for eight two-storey houses was granted earlier this year, despite members of the community and some local councillors protesting at the time that the pub building should be kept for community use.