Details of a £1million investment to improve the ‘dated and tired’ Folly Inn at Whippingham have been unveiled – transforming the outside areas to make the most of the riverside location beside the River Medina.
The pub, part of the Greene King chain, announced the refurbishment earlier this year and said it would be taking place in May.
Now, plans have been submitted to the Isle of Wight Council to build an outdoor bar, pergolas, a deck and balustrade as well as extending the patio and creating a patio island.
In planning documents, submitted by agents Walsingham Planning on behalf of Greene King, the Folly is described as tired, dated and in need of an upgrade. The outdoors areas, it says, do not make the most of its attractive settings and its particular focus is to improve the outdoor dining facilities.
As part of the plans, bifold doors will be installed on 3 sides and there will be a feature indoor/outdoor fireplace. Internally, the dining areas will be reorganised and help better link the inside and outside spaces.
Walsingham Planning says the alterations are not controversial and intend to improve the overall quality of the premises, making it more attractive to customers.
It’s also said that the proposals have been designed to be as flood resilient as possible, given the location. The risk will be mitigated by good flood management practices, including closing flood gates and ensuring the outdoor areas are not used when there is a risk of flooding.
You can view the plans, 22/00564/FUL, on the council’s planning register. Comments can be submitted until 16th May.
Certainly needs an update…
Shame about the road leading down to it !!!!!!
Cannot remember last time I went there ….
Value my car 2 much !!!
I don’t understand the logic with Greene King to keep places like these hidden away?? I never see any advertising for this pub and is worthy a visit, even if it’s just for it’s location. I visit the Isle of Wight about once a month and pick up the ferry magazines every time theres a new one out but never see them in it. Plenty of other pubs advertise. Greene King short sighted. You have to tell people that you exist. Only way is to advertise that!
You only have to look at the state of The Crab Inn,
and the Folly to see how much this company care about their assets..
Need to sort out their staff as last time we went they were so disorganised and rude.. Also food leaves a lot to be desired Used to be good a few years back before it was taken over by current chain company.. Its not always about location and views… Will not go again and neither will quite a few people I have spoken to
Where is the £1million coming from? Surely this amount of money is better spent on services for the island that are in desperate need of investment rather than a place to eat out during a cost of living crisis where most cannot afford to eat out or will not in the months ahead.
Sometimes a comment on here makes you stop and read it again, just to make sure. Then you realise, yes, someone did actually write that.
How does a private company investing in one of it’s properties (for the purpose of increasing the customer experience) and of course profits, have any bearing on “better services for the island”. It’s not paid out of your council tax! And plenty can afford to eat out.
Ahhh a true Islander……
The £1million should just about cover the road repairs…..
The junction of Folly Lane with the Whippingham Road (A3021) is one of the most hazardous road junctions on the island.
Attention must be given to negating this dangerous situation before the anticipated increase of vehicular traffic to The Folly.
Fast moving cars from both directions ion the A3021 is one matter, but the potentiality for a rapid increase in personal injuries and deaths will be ramped-up by the sheer number of juveniles who persist in racing their noisy pop-pop.motorcycles between East Cowes and the Racecourse Roundabout and vice versa.
not before time, looked pretty much the same fifty years ago.
Why change a pub which has character,it’s a great pub because it’s dated,if green king have their way they will ruin it.
gee Islanders are averse to change, I can remeber when the majority of hotels wouldnt invest in ensuites they would rather have more bedrooms which they thought meant more money lol nothig changes on the Island
Islanders? True Islanders are vastly outnumbered by people that move over here.
Hip hip hooray. Another victory for people who love the Island because it’s apparently different and old fashioned, then do their worst to change everything they can. If a million pounds is floating about to spend on an already really nice pub,why not give it to some Ukrainian mums who’ve been raped in front of their kids and need a safe home here in Britain? No, much better to spend it making a local hostelry look like a chain pub at an overpriced Thames ‘marina’…
Well if a company is prepared to spend a million on one of there assets, we should be thankful,other areas on the island would love companies to spend a mllion on there properties.
Stopped using this pub due to the state of the approach road
Greene King should be investing time and money into employing decent managers to run the pubs on the island. From what I hear the way they treat their staff is deplorable.
They need to take care of the food too as it has definately gone down hill in the last couple of years.