Former Crimea Tavern, Castleford
Former Crimea Tavern pub in Castleford to be demolished for flats:
Once more, the loss of a derelict pub is justified by a supposed lack of architectural merit. Conservation officers at Wakefield would not have any grounding to justify an intervention in this case. Even if they wanted to.
This is sad. We need to recognise that it is not just the architectural treatment of the elevation, or the quality of the architectural vocabulary that make a building important.
It is the massing, its relationship with the street, and the proportionality of the elevation that are of historic value – characteristics which are not acknowledged in any replacement. This is clearly stated in every policy going; national, district, local.
Thus another pocket of Yorkshire loses its final piece of a once populated high street.
Woodman Inn, Hebden Bridge
Application to demolish the long abandoned Woodman Inn pub at Charlestown just outside Hebden Bridge:
This pub has now been in a state of dereliction for at least 10 years. Standing on the road to the Moors, when the culture of drinking and driving (rightly) met its demise this location would have proven to be logistically awkward.
Still, with the cultural draw of Hebden Bridge but a mile away, I’m sure a skilled publican could have reanimated The Woodman Inn. Other pubs of this disposition have thrived.
Star and Garter in Sheffield
The Star and Garter in Sheffield is to be replaced with student accommodation:
It is a charming corner pub just across from the university. Are students not drinking anymore? Suppose there isn’t much beer money left after tuition fees. Someone ironically across the road from the planning department I may add….
Couple of pubs in Brownfield Bradford
Two more pubs are to be demolished in the industrial fringes of Bradford.
Royal Oak, Sticker Lane:
New Inn, Manchester Road:
It always amazes me that pubs in the middle of nowhere, in the middle class hinterlands and along the traditional MAMEL routes are thriving at the moment. Their fate did not look so rosy a few years ago, but something cultural changed, and people suddenly were intrigued by pubs (and the fare they offer) in the middle of nowhere. They provide pilgrimage for weekends.
Wouldn’t it be great if these superannuated urban pubs could find such a resurgence, perhaps from intrepid urban explorers, or those seeking something different. Over to you Camra.
Crown Hotel, Chickenly
Pub to be demolished just outside of Dewsbury in Chickenley:
There is literally nothing else in Chickenley aside from housing estates. This is all they had to give Chickenley a sense of place, but no one went and now more houses will be built once it has been leveled. Another pub outmoded by suburban life.
Amidst such streets as Short Street and Mill Lane that hint at an erstwhile quaint industrial settlement, another name on the map has slowly become completely meaningless.
The Beulah Pub, Tong Road, Leeds
Another pub going down:
Something of a mock Tudor effort in the middle of nowhere, apparently dating from 1830, although the facade looks a lot more recent
Sadly shut now, although it was part of the CAMRA circuit in recent years.
The name ‘Beulah’ crops up around Leeds a lot and is a type of sheep. The name certainly stands out from your White Harts and Old Bridges.
Diamond Jubilee Club, South Kirkby
The Diamond Jubilee Club in South Kirkby, Pontefract set for demolition:
Not a particularly beautiful or historic building, or in a scenic area, but the demise of an old drinking establishment is never too welcome here.
There is also a glimmer of social history in these clubs, that is as of yet under-recognised, but the bittersweet working class culture of Pheonix Nights was born out of these function halls, which always demonstrate the austere approach to celebration this generation of Brits had.
In the land of Nandos and Wagamamas, it can be nice to see these fragments of an authentic and mercurial culture that can never be emulated elsewhere.
Flockton Working Mens Club
Demolition of Flockton Woking Mens Club and the development of 87 houses:
Fine example of a mining community’s social hub. Sadly villages like Flockton have become places to sleep and park your car rather than somewhere to cohabit as a rural community. Thus a club like this is an anachronism.
Strange ho in pursuit of ‘sustainable development’ we are willing to destroy rural social infrastructure to develop swathes of houses in villages.
Its just bad planning, no excuses. We are letting the market make planning decisions for us.
The Royal Pub, Shipley
Pub in Shipley set to be demolished:
Not an astounding building, but definitely a sight for sore eyes should you find yourself in this sink estate of the impoverished North Bradford conurbation.
It may look derelict now but this building will have more history and meaning than we can possibly imagine.How many people will have dropped a load of clothes off at the launderette before popping next door for a swift pint?
What a shame, another old public house lost. Come on people, this is our culture we are levelling!
Pubs being flattened in South Yorkshire
A couple of applications to demolish pubs in South Yorkshire:
The Travellers Rest Inn, Pogmoor, Barnsley:
The Thorncliffe Arms, Chapeltown, Sheffield:
The Thorncliffe Arms is over 200 years old and its loss will be lamented by the local community, as indicated by the coverage this application has received in the local press:
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/councillors-lament-loss-of-200-year-old-sheffield-pub-1-7349329
The Travellers Rest Inn is also a good robust building that has served as a community asset for well over 100 years.
Unfortunately there is not much we can do about the market for pubs – if residents of Pogmoor or Chapeltown don’t want to go to pubs any more, they will close. However, that is always subject to change, and rather like Beeching pulling up the railways, demolishing community infrastructure is short sighted. A retail use or otherwise would offer a mothballing scenario, and perhaps one day, when suburban culture feels the need to socialise again, a pub would be viable.
And there are no excuses. The planning legislation to allow local authorities, or neighbourhood planning groups to block these demolitions exists.
