Paul Hollywood blasts 'unforgivable' locals critical of his wife over closure of her 'beautiful' village pub that she will turn into a home - and says villagers should stump up money to buy the 600-ye

Paul Hollywood has blasted locals as 'unforgivable' after they criticised his wife's plans to close their 'beautiful' village pub. Paul Hollywood says that locals should stump up the money to buy the 600-year-old boozer themselves - as he says that it cannot survive without them supporting it The Chequers, near Ashford, Kent, is no longer viable as a business, so Mrs Hollywood's family submitted plans to turn it into a home earlier this year Melissa Spalding and celebrity baker Paul had put more than £80,000 of their own cash into trying to save The Chequers, near Ashford, Kent Hollywood reportedly met Ms Spalding at the pub four years ago, and she has been the landlady for 16 years. During the meeting, it was revealed the lengths the couple had gone to try and sell the business as a pub Slamming locals in the planning meeting, Mrs Hollywood fumed: 'Unfortunately the last six months have shown us the worst in people's behaviour' In 2021 Hollywood was pictured hard at work during a night shift in the diner's kitchen as he made pizzas for hungry diners A representative said: 'We as a group have made more than one offer to the owners to purchase the inn on a community run basis but have just been unable to get them to agree or engage fully with us so we can move forward because they seem more intent on the development potential of the site. Hollywood blasted locals claims they had made attempts to buy the pub as 'a lie', and said it had only had one offer The TV host has previously delighted customers with appearances at the pub, judging a cake baking competition in January 2020, after spending the Christmas at the inn The baking guru was in his element as he judged the cakes while entrants and fans watched on at The Chequers Inn, Smarden It is not clear whether any of the Spalding family intend to live in the property after it is turned into a house, or whether it would be sold. Hollywood said that they had received one offer for the pub but it was 'not realistic' The boozer's website says they will be open as normal until August 31 And in 2021 he was pictured hard at work during a night shift in the diner's kitchen as he made pizzas for hungry diners.