A CLOSED Herefordshire pub being marketed as an AirBnB despite being refused a change of use has been given another auction date after failing to sell.

The Lamb Inn pub, which ceased trading in 2018, was refused planning permission for a change of use from a pub to a house, with Herefordshire Council hearing that there was insufficient evidence that the community facility was not a viable business and could not continue to meet community needs, as it had not been marketed appropriately.

A planning inspector also refused to overturn Herefordshire Council's decision at appeal, meaning that the pub must remain a pub.

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But despite this, the pub in Stoke Prior, near Leominster, remains closed and has since been marketed as a holiday let and remains available to book on websites including AirBnB.

The pub has been up for sale with agents Christie & Co with an asking price of £630,000 and a forecast income as a holiday let of £80,000 per annum for some time.

Christie & Co describe the building as a "former public house", which the current owners have "repositioned as a highly attractive holiday let", which they say can sleep up to 12.

But in March it was listed for online auction with auctioneers Pattinson Commercial with a starting bid of £540,000. The pub failed to sell by the end of its first auction, and has now been relisted for auction, with 25 days left to bid as of April 19.

The auctioneers said the property is "part commercial" and "part residential" and includes a "public house and premises", with six-bedroom accommodation.

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Its appearance on the auction site in March came hot on the heels of Herefordshire Council confirming earlier that month that an investigation into the closed pub was ongoing.

The council said in June last year that an investigation was underway into an alleged planning breach and that they believed a retrospective application was being considered, while agents Christie & Co also say in their sale advert that the pub's owners "are processing a change of use application".

However, no application for a change of use has since appeared on Herefordshire Council's planning portal.