A row over static caravans stored at a Broads pub has taken a new twist after a court prosecution over it was dropped.
The Broads Authority launched a prosecution against Raymond Hollocks, landlord of the Beauchamp Arms in Langley, earlier this year, having previously taken enforcement action against the pub.
The long-running saga dates back to 2018 and relates to the static caravans stored on the boundary of the pub's car park, with the BA ordering Mr Hollocks to have them removed.
However, the landlord argues that the pub has a long history of siting caravans and that they should be given a stay of execution for this reason.
The authority issued Mr Hollocks with a notice last year requesting information about the site, but took legal action after it was returned with parts missing.
In June, the landlord appeared at Norwich Magistrates Court to deny failing to comply with the notice and was due to stand trial on September 20.
But the prosecution was withdrawn just days before the trial was due to go ahead.
A BA spokesman said: "The authority's planning department received new information relating to the site which demonstrated that the situation there had changed since the original notices were issued. This invalidated the usefulness of the notices in assessing potential planning breaches at the site.
“It was, therefore, more effective for the authority to drop the original prosecution and issue fresh notices relating to the new information."
Mr Hollocks said that since the enforcement action was taken against the caravans it had left the business "unviable".
He said: "The original notice was only issued to me and I completed it to the best of my knowledge.
"I am not the landowner and had little knowledge of the statics - this was reflected in my answers as required by law and returned within the time frame.
"Beauchamp has always had caravans dating back beyond the 1960s - there has been three mobile homes on the site since 2005 and listed on the rates list."
The BA first agreed to take enforcement action against the caravans in September 2018.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here