Let’s start with a quotation. This comes from a book called Another England by Caroline Lucas: ‘For a country that has such a reputation for nostalgia, it is surprising how much of our past we are prepared to see junked. What is more quintessentially English than the pub? Yet hundreds close each year.’
In the previous edition I mentioned the perilous state of the handsome Grade II-listed Burn Bullock in Mitcham. Alas, on Friday 19 April, the pub caught fire. Some 80 firefighters in 12 appliances were needed to bring the blaze under control. The interior has been gutted but the exterior walls are still standing. The rear, the oldest part of building, survived. Merton Council have started an assessment of the damage but, to begin with, the building was too dangerous to enter. The council has assured residents that it will work with the owners to secure the site and, in due course, work with Historic England to restore the pub. The site is reportedly being protected by the police because it is a potential crime scene. The Mitcham Cricket Club, who are the custodians of the nearby equally historic pavilion (1904), posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), ‘A black day for Mitcham. Named in honour of our former player and its former landlord. Disgracefully neglected for years. The original Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers was formed in an upstairs room’. They added their thanks to the London Fire Brigade. The freehold of the pavilion is owned by the same people who own the Burn Bullock and the nearby Windmill pub.
The saga of the Crooked House in Himley, West Midlands, continues. At the end of March the owners exercised their right to appeal against the enforcement notice served by South Staffordshire Council. It was reported that the owners have suggested that the pub be rebuilt in a different location to improve its viability. This was not well received, with CAMRA’s Pub and Club Campaigns Director, Gary Timmins, saying, “The suggested plan to rebuild the demolished Crooked House pub on a completely different site is nothing short of outrageous. The proposal to simply move the Crooked House’s location for convenience is laughable, showing a complete disregard for pub heritage.” For context, reports are that Marston’s sold the pub as a going concern, although it was closed at the time of the sale because of damage caused during a break-in. Presumably, the new owners, ATE Farms, or their representatives would have checked its viability as part of their due diligence exercise. A planning inspector has been allocated and a decision was originally expected in August. The inspector has however since decided to delay the appeal until spring 2025. South Staffordshire Council reported that the inspector accepted ATE Farms’s request to postpone the appeal on the grounds that it would be preferable to deal with it after any possible court action relating to the fire. The inspector did however agree that the matter should not be delayed indefinitely and would be dealt with no later than ‘some time in spring 2025’. There have been no recent reports of progress as regards any criminal charges relating to the fire. The mayor of the West Midlands at the time, Andy Street, reacted angrily to the delay, accusing the inspector of ‘simply pandering to the applicant and their legal team’. Mr Street said that the fire and the demolition should be treated as separate incidents and the planning appeal held immediately. He was also concerned that the inspector’s actions would discourage councils, especially smaller ones, from issuing enforcement proceedings because of the fear of being left ‘in limbo for a substantial amount of time’.
Some better news. The Fellowship Inn in Bellingham reopened on 23 April, having been closed since after October 2023. The pub, which is Grade II listed and an important example of an ‘improved’ public house, rates two stars on CAMRA’s register of heritage pubs. It is operated by Homegrown Pubs & Bars.
And more better news. The Forester in West Ealing officially reopened on 20 April after a substantial and lengthy refurbishment, no doubt necessitated by the pub being Grade II listed. It also merits three stars on CAMRA’s heritage register. Fuller’s purchased the freehold early in 2012. This was subject to a lease to MC Bars which expired in June 2023, at which point the pub closed for a couple of days. This distinctive pub was built in 1909 for the Royal Brewery of Brentford by the renowned T H Nowell Parr. The reopening ceremony was performed by the MP for Ealing Central and Acton, Dr Rupa Huq, and the Mayor of Ealing, Councillor Hitesh Tailor, who are pictured along with Harry Shotter, the general manager. The pub now features a first floor function room and a garden with a covered area. Thai food remains available along with a carvery on Sundays. The highlight of the opening party was Dr Huq performing a DJ set.
CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Bulletin for March reports that the Tamil Crown in Islington, formerly the Charles Lamb, has lost its one star status on CAMRA’s inventory of historic pub interiors. A recent refurbishment saw the removal of all of its historic fittings, including some etched glass shutters.
Local knowledge is vital for successful pub preservation campaigning. CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Group (PHG) is recommending that local branches set up lists of pub and club interiors which, while not retaining enough of their original layout or historic features to qualify for the national register, are still worthy of note. Branches can set their own criteria for these lists, which could include pubs such as those which used to be classified as ‘some regional interest’ but did not qualify as One Star pubs when the national listings were reorganised. You can find more information and resources on the PHG website.