Working Man’s Club, Baliff Bridge, Halifax
Application to demolish former Working Man’s Club at Baliff Bridge, Halifax
Most recently this building has functioned as a nursery which closed in 2013, which folded due to unpaid fees. It must have been a stretch for Martin Walsh Architectural services to claim in their Design and Access statement that the removal of this building and replacement by 4 houses would improve the street frontage in this area. Can an architect’s license be revoked?
This is a very interesting building, as it does not appear on maps until 1922, so it was likely erected in the first two decades of the 20th century. Yet the building looks to be 18th century in age, with the narrow coursed stone, mullioned windows, and stone tiled roof suggesting an earlier vintage.
Perhaps this building was constructed from repurposed material? I have not been able to find much information on the history of this building, so if anyone out there knows anything please get in touch.
Queens Hotel, Sheffield
Pub to be demolished in the industrial fridge of Sheffield’s City Centre:
A pub has existed here since 1791 with the current building appearing in 1928. Open and closed through the years, the venue was an integral part of Sheffield’s second-to-none nightlife of the 90s.
As Sheffield’s (rightly much-lauded) urban renaissance continues, Scotland Street will become a key component of inner-city urban life. Not much heritage frontage exists along the street now, and this building would provide some relief from the cladding and brick slips that will predominate the townscape as developments are built out.
Plans to convert into residential accommodation were contemplated a few years ago, so the option is there to retain what is clearly a robust building. I would urge the council to resist demolition on the grounds that the building is vital to regeneration of the area as a townscape heritage asset.
Some interesting photos of the interior, which appears to have been fire damaged, were submitted to 28 Days Later
Cottage in Beverley, East Yorkshire
An application to demolish a cottage in The East Riding:
The Old Racing Stables in Beverley
A cottage steeped in history that modulates the roofscape of this back street in Beverly. The application looks to replace the building with a new larger dwelling on the footprint.
Densification is a great idea, and extending or modifying buildings on suburban housing estates can add to the bedroom count. But in this case, the history of the building outways the benefits of an increase in housing capacity in the town of Beverly.
Former Queen Hotel, Hull
Plans to demolish a series of buildings including the former Queen Hotel in Hull:
A terrace of three buildings that have variously been used as pubs and nightclubs throughout the years are set to be demolished after a prior notification application went into Hull Council. Plans to convert the buildings into 18 residential flats were approved when Club Valbon finally shut its doors in 2017, however, the owner appears to now have an appetite for destruction.
The beautiful gambrel roof, the balconets, and the well-ordered sash windows bring a rhythm to this street and form an elegant corner in an otherwise anti-urban corner of Hull
The last thing this already harried city needs is more of it’s heritage to be lost. I hope the inevitable new surface carpark that lands here will bring as much joy to Kingstonians as this row of pubs once did.
Article posted on theworldnews.net
The Plough Inn, Crosspool, Sheffield
Plans to demolish the Plough Inn:
I can not believe this application has even made it past validation. Where to start…
This exceptionally old pub in Sheffield is adjacent to Hallam FC, and local derbies between Sheffield club and Hallam FC would culminate in drinking sessions in The Plough. These happen to be the oldest football clubs in the world. ThisĀ article in The StarĀ sums up what needs to be said.
How historic does a building have to be? I recently talked about a pub in which the Luddites devised their seditious plans. The Plough Inn was where (gently presses capslock) THE RULES OF MODERN FOOTBALL WERE FORMULATED. This is another level of importance. I’m glad to hear local councillors are fighting to save this building, but disgusted that a developer and attendant consultants could ever consider hatching up a scheme to see this pub off. I hope they are never seen in Sheffield again.
History aside, the building is stunning, and is a viable robust public house. Even if the planning officer is oblivious to the footballing context, this building needs to be saved on its architectural merit alone.
Alma Inn, Wombwell
Application to demolish pub in Barnsley:
Although the roof looks like it has been replaced recently, it looks like this building dates back to the 19th century, with maps from 1892 showing a building of the same footprint not listed as a public house. The spalling on the masonry and general patina also suggest a Victorian provenance.
I’d like to find out a bit more about this building, so if anyone has any info or images of the pub please do share them.
Boars Head, Pudsey
Former pub in Leeds:
This pub has been derelict since 2003 (google street view from 2009 shows it largely unchanged – a few more letters on the sign than there are now perhaps).
This is the fourth pub to close on this high street, which at one time would have provided a half-decent drag within the Pudseyan nightlife.
The local townscape will be dramatically altered when this building is lost. There is cyclical succession at play in places like this; the old buildings are lost, character is diminished, the area becomes ripe for development, market demands means more old buildings are lost.
Another one bites the dust.
Pubs and clubs this month
A couple of pubs up for demolition in Yorkshire:
Moldgreen Top Club in Huddersfield:
Overlooking the inner industrial suburb of Moldgreen, this former working mens’ club is quite a sharp build, with well-ordered windows on a utilitarian frontage. It could almost be a Wesleyan Church, rotated away from the inclining road, to overlook the Parish below.
It is to be succeeded by 12 apartments. That is quite a quantum for a site of this size. Im sure with a bit of creativity the pub could have integrated in some way into the development. A sad loss indeed.
…and The Magnet in East York:
Built in the 1930s, it is another example of what the developer calls a ‘corner beer pub’ in a leafy urban extension. The develop justifies the potential loss stating thatĀ Ā āIt must be remembered that the pub was built at a time when such facilities were in high demand. Drinking and the associated socialising was one of the few leisure pursuits available” (York Press).
I assure the gentleman, that drinking is as popular as ever. The reality is that the culture of the local has sadly all but disappeared, in tandem with the erosion of society writ large.
Roebuck Barracks, York
Demolition of former world war two Canadian barracks south of York:
A great drone flyover can be found here:Ā https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zAXgi0gQoc
I’m amazed to see this encampment still in existence. Used as a pig farm (or piggery, according to the history books) since the 1960s, the proximity to York and the local ammenities provided by Appleby mean this site ripe for some volume housing.
This remnant of wartime Britain has somehow endured until now. It must have been spotted from the road by a passing developer, and bingo, brownfield.
Being in such a dilapidated state, and as the buildings were pre-fabricated temporary structures to begin with, there is no aesthetic merit in retaining or restoring the barracks, however, the brick towers are extremely interesting structures. Any development should try to integrate these towers, if not only as an homage to the Canadian soldiers who came so far to assist in our victory over fascism.
The layout could even follow the pattern of the paths in the barracks, utilising existing ‘site capital’.
I hope the planners and the developers sit down properly and discuss how the significance of this site will not be lost.
I’d also add that the site is home to some incredible street art, of itself worthy of retention:
Hare And Hounds pub, Burton Leonard
Beautiful village pub near Harrogate to be lost for 6 houses:
Very beautiful pub in a village that unfortunately cannot sustain two taverns in the antisocial age of netflix. Presumably, the Royal Oak down the road won out in the end.
The difference between a two pub village and a one-pub village is enormous. Drunken walks between pubs are the stuff of legend (see Cock and Bull story); the bittersweet rivalries in all things pub related; the family friendy carvery pub vs the allowed to smoke after midnight pub. Punters need options.
There is a dynamic that is greater than the sum of its parts. Thankfully there will still be a pub in Burton Leonard, but this is a beautiful building (and future opportunity) to lose for a mere 5 houses. Its in a conservation area, and was commercially successful until a few years ago (at which point the rent killed it off). Its a no brainer as to what the planning officer should decide.
The Demolition Register 