Wiltshire Council’s Eastern Area Planning Committee approved retrospective permission for the frontage at the Grade II listed pub, where the red cross has been displayed since 2016 in support of England sports teams.
Five councillors voted in favour of the application, with three against and one abstention.
The case followed an investigation launched in November last year after a complaint claimed the pub looked like “the headquarters of the National Front”.
Planning officers had recommended refusal, arguing the painted decoration was not sympathetic to the historic building or its setting within the village conservation area.
‘English sports bar’
However, members of the committee opted to back the application after hearing representations in support of the pub.
A statement on behalf of landlord Jerry Kunkler said the venue was an “overtly English sports bar” and that the painted cross had become an integral part of the business’s identity.
Kunkler has previously said he first painted the building for the 2016 football World Cup and refreshed it for subsequent tournaments, with the site becoming a focal point for supporters watching England in football, rugby and other international fixtures.
‘Ridiculous’
Councillor Paul Oatway described the complaint as “ridiculous”, while councillor Stuart Wheeler said the pub was well known locally and enhanced the area rather than harming it. He added that the venue, known locally as the Moonies, had become something of a landmark.
The decision will be welcomed by operators who use sporting occasions and national events to drive trade, particularly venues that lean into themed decoration and atmosphere during major tournaments.
Similar disputes have surfaced before major tournaments, with previous reports of operators facing pressure to remove St George’s flag displays ahead of the World Cup and Euros.
In one 2016 case, a Midlands pub was targeted by a hoax caller claiming a council had demanded its painted flag be removed ahead of Euro 2016.
