Two High Street businesses are aiming to put Ongar on the tourist and business maps of Essex by providing visitors to the town with a place to stay.

First in line to offer accommodation is the King's Inn public house, which - under its new tenants Dale Culley and Denise Beard - is offering bed and board for the first time in more than three years.

At present, there are facilities for up to four guests. But Dale and Denise, who took over in August, say they are hoping to expand to cater for as many 14 people at a time.

No special planning permission is required. The pub, which is a Grade II-listed building, started life as a 17th Century coaching inn and is thought to date back to 1697.

However, an up-to-date fire certificate is required before all the available rooms can be opened to the public.

According to Denise, an application has been submitted, fire alarms have been fitted, and a fire officer visited the premises earlier this month.

All that remains is for district conservation officers to give their approval. A meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, November 8, but it is not yet known how long it will take for clearance to be given. A few doors down from the King's Inn, holiday accommodation of a slightly different kind is being envisaged by Conor's snack bar owner Peter Carter.

Mr Carter, who previously ran a butcher's shop on the site, is keen to redevelop a number of outbuildings at the rear of the premises.

A pair of linked planning applications submitted to Epping Forest District Council this week request permission to demolish the remains of the structures, which - like the King's Inn - are Grade II-listed.

In their place, Mr Carter is seeking to construct a two-storey building providing five units of holiday accommodation.

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