The Union Pub, Knaresborough
Application to demolish former The Union/The Cricketers:
Most recently trading as The Cricketers, this pub was gutted by a fire following a suspected arson in 2025. It was thriving up until this point.
The proposal looks to remove the damaged building and replace it with a shop and 7 apartments. A couple of detached houses and a new drinking establishment complete the site proposals.
The proposed building looks appropriate enough. The elevations show a design sympathetic to the areas heritage, and the developer is even willing to splash out on chimneys. However, whether or not the building integrates is fully dependent upon the choice of building materials. Lets hope a high quality local stone is quarried for this one.
The ‘replacement pub’ leaves a lot to be desired. Set back from the road to the rear of a car park, this resembles an old Derby and Joan hall rather than a focal point of the village. A single story windowless frontage is quite a downgrade from the Union Hotel, which incidentally appears on maps from 1850. In fact, this pub is/was the oldest building remaining in Calcutt village. Shame it couldn’t be repaired.
