A BED & breakfast forced to close three years ago because it did not have enough parking spaces has reopened – with exactly the same number.

Clare Newland held a grand re-opening ceremony for The Oxford Studios in Kennington this weekend after winning her lengthy battle with council officers.

She said: "It feels brilliant.

"We've spent the past three months refurbishing everything, renaming it and giving the rooms more facilities."

The mum-of-four was forced to shut her business in 2014 after planning officers discovered it had been operating without planning permission for five years.

Vale of White Horse District Council said the B&B, then called Pembroke Guest House, should have had at least eight off-road parking spaces for its nine bedrooms, and the B&B only had four.

Miss Newland shut her business down and duly applied for planning permission to reopen with the same number of spaces, arguing that guests were told on booking they had to reserve an off-road parking space or would not be guaranteed a place to park.

But she also pointed out there were usually plenty of parking spaces on her road and neighbouring streets.

Despite her arguments, planning officers refused her application.

Exasperated by what she saw as the wrong decision, she appealed against the refusal and won a hearing from a government-appointed planning inspector.

The case of the little B&B battling the council was taken on by Hayley Butcher.

The planning expert spent weeks analysing both sides and even visited the street in person to see just what the parking situation was like.

In the end, two years after Miss Newland had been forced to close, she was vindicated and her appeal granted.

The planning inspector said two of the nine bedrooms were small enough not to justify parking spaces on their own, and that there was 'easily' enough parking space on surrounding roads for three cars if all four spaces at the guest house were taken.

The planning inspector gave Miss Newland permission to re-open her guest house in March last year.

But, just as she was about to start welcoming guests again, she had to put her plans on hold again after a close friend suffered a devastating stroke.

Miss Newland spent the next 12 months looking after her friend at her home until she passed away this year.

This weekend, Miss Newland and her partner Doug Wilson were finally able to celebrate a small victory as they re-opened their little guest house.

The B&B now has seven 'studio' rooms and is going for a green tourism award.

Miss Newland added: "It's been a tough three years so this is a really positive moment."