Sounds to me like you're looking at this the wrong way round: clearly what you need to do is get rid of the villagers and bring in some people who can appreciate an English country pub.The BH pub was not supported by the people of the village .The
residents of the village hardly went to the pub on any regular
bases..It was always empty in the winter months. On many occasions the
pub did not have one customer all day and night.The pub had to be
subsidised by the land lady to cover cost of staying open. It was a
huge financial drain.
It was view when it went on the marked by many people interested in
running it as a restaurant and pub, but they all realised it had
little potential to be profitable.
No one wanted to buy it as a pub/restaurant.
It is now going to be houses, which is not a horrifying thing as the
village dose support development of the village .This has been
demonstrated by their huge efforts to increase housing in Amberley.
I agree more housing is what is really needed not more unprofitable
pubs .The development is a positive outcome for the building.
"“When you have lost your inns, drown your empty selves, for you will have lost the last of England." (Hilaire Belloc) Sad that it takes a Frenchman to point this out.