The Flouch Inn, Stocksbridge
The sad demise of the Flouch Inn –
Demolition of this pub has been on the cards for a while now. Oout in the Wilderness of the Pennines, the Flouch is called so because its former name of The Plough became weathered and Plough Became Flouch with the loss of a serif or two.
The demolition will make way for houses; an entirely unsustainable location, and the canabalisation of what could be a great pub as part of the chain of cyclist stops found in this area.
Also being demolished is
Silkstone Working Men’s Club –
Not so pretty…but still a meaningful building
Union Mills, Eccleshill, Bradford
Robust stone industrial mills and pond to make way for a Lidl:
A large amount of Victorian industrial building stock is to be lost for the expansion of Lidl’s empire.
A thesis could be written about the insidious colonisation of deprived areas by Lidl. Bad for health, the economy, culture, and the environment. Not wanting to digressing into sociological territory, I will try to summarise why this is a crime against conservation.
The mills of Bradford are being lost at an alarming rate, with the local authority not seeing the value (and being powerless) in retaining humble buildings such as Union Mills. What these buildings add to the local landscape is invaluable; punctuating the rolling countryside with implications of former industrial prowess. We diminish the essence of a place when we remove its history.
Particularly objectionable is the infill of the mill pond. Blue infrastructure is normally celebrated and protected. Not only for its value in biodiversity, but for the public who enjoy it as a destination for walking and angling.
The existing buildings function perfectly well. They are adaptable, and can be used for a variety of industries looking for different sizes of space. They provide economic opportunities that are vital for small businesses in the area.
The buildings that will replace them do not have these qualities. Lidl could very easily retrofit the existing complex for their purposes, but their rudimentary economic models can not integrate such innovative strategies into their expansionist masterplan. Cleared sites only please. And no architects. Shame on you Lidl.
Highland Pub, Central Leeds
Application to demolish the Highland Pub, just off Burley Street, Leeds
Its been a few months since there has been any imminent threat to a historically important building in West Yorkshire, but a sad return to business as usual comes in the form of the proposed demolition of The Highland, to be replaced by 14 flats.
The pub is still thriving and has by various accounts undergone something of a renaissance lately.
A curious building that has survived the comprehensive demolition of this area to find itself bravely ensconced as a wedge between the high rises and the concrete monoliths of central Leeds. Stone setts still surround the building making this oasis look like a fissure in space-time.
Such a narrow plot shouldn’t be viable for development – only suitable for a Victorian pub, yet somehow it has caught the attention of a speculator. Couldn’t you develop the surface car park 5m to the right?
This highlights yet again a flaw in the planning system; no conservation area or listing status means that the council’s hands are tied. The only reprieve would be to deny permission on other grounds relating to design and hope the owner backs down and keeps the pub serving. Apparently its great in there. Check it out before it is no more.
The Demolition Register 