Pub awarded zoo licence after two and a half year wait

By Georgina Townshend

- Last updated on GMT

Fantastic feeling: publican Andy Cowell given zoo licence at long last
Fantastic feeling: publican Andy Cowell given zoo licence at long last

Related tags Medway

A pub in Kent has finally been given the go ahead to open a fully-fledged zoo in its grounds after a two-and-a-half-year licensing battle.

Part of the zoo is still under construction but many of the animals can now be seen in the grounds of the Fenn Bell Inn, in St Mary Hoo, Kent, grounds, including monkeys, meerkats, parrots, raccoons, lemurs, pigs, ducks and geese.

It all started in 2011 when Andy Cowell rescued two kunekune pigs – Ginger and Spice.

Off the back of that, Cowell took on more unwanted exotic animals to which his wife Kelly said: “You’ve turned this house into a zoo”. 

“I thought what a fantastic idea, why don't we do it. So we set about finding somewhere to set up a zoo,” said Cowell. 

Becoming publicans and zookeepers

The Cowells moved into the Fenn Bell Inn in 2014 with no prior publican experience, and soon faced issues with the council​ with their dream to open up a zoo as well.

Two-and-a-half-years later, after a lot of “hard work”, Medway Council awarded the pub its zoo licence this month (June 2017).

“It's fantastic, I mean it is an amazing thing to achieve what you set out to do,” said Cowell.

“It was very difficult and it has been a very hard process.

“Obviously, as you can appreciate, there's lots of laws and legislation on what we are physically doing and what is I think the achievement is the fact that we have taken something that was run down and ready to be pulled down and turned it into something successful.”

Cowell said that although some people may see what he is doing is controversial, he promotes responsible drinking and the type of customers he gets are families and older people with their grandchildren.

“The place is about learning, education and bringing animals into people's lives,” he said.

A “zoo-pub”

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Part of the zoo at the Fenn Bell Inn

Cowell said the venue is equally as much a zoo as it is a pub.

“I think that over the next five years what you will see is us develop and blossom into a fully functional zoological park with good credentials.

“It makes us different – we have taken an old pub and have breathed new life into it. We hope will be the best small zoo in the country.”

Despite Cowell’s big ambitions for the zoo, he is determined to not lose the “pub identity”.

“We are still at the heart of the community and local people use us to come and have food and drink as they would any other local pub,” he said.

Take inspiration

Cowell said that opening a zoo-pub isn’t something for the “fainthearted” and that it is a very difficult thing to achieve.

“But I do think people looking at pubs in the future will be hopefully take some inspiration from what we have done, as we have adapted ours into something that has suited our life”.

Future goals

Cowell has big plans for the future, with a big extension, new kitchen and providing disabled toilets and baby changing facilities. 

He also hopes to join other zoos in conservation and breeding programmes.

“If you had said to me 10 years ago I would be doing this, I would have thought you were completely loopy. Because, it was not something I ever planned to do – we just found ourselves doing it,” he said.

“However, I am very passionate about what I do and I am very keen on the fact that we are putting our family name to this pub and this zoo.

“I believe that we have been given a very lucky chance in life to build something that can be an incredible credit to not only our family, but to the local area.”

Campaigners 

Cowell has recently had to defend his pub after campaigners reacted negatively to the zoo. 

In a Facebook statement, he said: "We have never shied away from these people and have always offered them a chance to come and meet us.

"Today's modern day zoos are about education, conservation and research. As a modern day zoo it is our duty to do this and protect all animals and plants for future generations. These people, by attacking us are truly misguided. With out any conversation or contact with us they choose to attack us."

Cowell has invited anyone with concerns to go and see him, and that he would be "happy to discuss" any aspect of what he does.

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