Bar complex plan for historic Coventry city centre hall

[dutchman]

Plans to convert Coventry’s 18th century County Hall into a bar and restaurant have taken a step forward with an application for a full premises licence.



Developers have applied to open the venue, on the corner of Cuckoo Lane and Bayley Lane, near the old cathedral spire, from 9am-4am every day offering a range of entertainment including food, alcohol, music, karaoke and open mic sessions.

The Grade II listed building was last used as the city’s crown court but has been empty since the court was moved to its new complex in Much Park Street in 1989.

Planning permission was granted to change the building into a bar and restaurant on February 21 2008 and work started earlier this year. If granted a licence, the venue will be known as The Establishment.

Over the years there have been numerous applications to open a bar at the venue, including plans to open a Pitcher and Piano chain pub back in 2002.

One objection has been submitted to the council against the new licence application, arguing the area around the Cathedral ruins should be kept quiet and peaceful.

“We have been residents in Priory Row for many years. There continues to be concern about noise and drunken behaviour in Priory Row and down Hill Top,” the letter of objection reads.

“We have had to have the noise abatement people out before.

"The prospect of entertainment noise and drinkers spilling onto the street outside our home until 4am every morning through the week is very distressing.

“The Cathedral quarter ought to be kept quiet and peaceful.

“All the other residents in Priory Row join with a request to limit this as much as possible.”

In its application Establishment Bars Ltd says noise preventative measures have already been put in place in the building including secondary glazing on the windows while there will be clear signs requesting customers to leave the premises quietly.

There will also be CCTV while all staff will be trained on drugs, weapons and drink policies.

The County Hall was opened in 1785 and was later used as a court and jail. The building is also infamous as the place where the last public hanging in Britain took place.

In August 1849 nearly 20,000 people turned up to watch the hanging outside the County Hall of Mary Ball, who was found guilty of poisoning her husband Thomas.

The licence application will be discussed by the council’s licensing and regulatory sub-committee at 2pm on Wednesday.

[dutchman]

New bar in former Coventry County Hall building granted 4am licence

A NEW bar and restaurant in the former Coventry County Hall building has been granted a licence to open until 4am.

The Establishment, on the corner of Cuckoo Lane and Bayley Lane, is already undergoing extensive interior conversion work.

The 18th century building was formerly used as the city’s crown court.

At a council licensing sub-committee meeting held yesterday the panel decided to grant the licence with several conditions.

The bar must not have any children on the premises after 9pm, operate a Challenge 25 policy, stop any outdoor entertainment by 1.30am and not admit any new customers after 3.30am.

Applicant Simon Close explained he did not intend to open the venue until 4am every day but wanted to ensure it would be able to open later if necessary for special occasions and events without applying for temporary licences.

He described the venue as a “fine dining and brasserie type establishment’.

“I understand there have been a number of problems with nearby licensed premises but these are marketed at a completely different clientele,” he said.

[dutchman]

Bar opens in Coventry's old court house and jail


Owner Simon Close at The Establishment in Bayley Lane

County Hall housed the city’s courts when it opened in 1783 and now after lying empty for decades it has reopened as a bar and restaurant called The Establishment.

Many of the building’s original features have been kept – the judge’s oak seat has been restored, the dock has been opened up for people to see into, the viewing gallery has been kept and the cells have been transformed into a dining area.

During restoration work cell padlocks and keys, transcripts and judge’s notes were uncovered and they are now hanging on the walls.

In keeping with the building’s history, customers can also order a Mary Ball cocktail from the menu which gives them the option of adding their own ‘poison’.

Ball was accused of poisoning her husband was the last person to be publicly hanged at the jail in 1849 when almost 20,000 people gathered outside to see it.

The building – closed since the late 1980s and long seen as a neglected treasure in the city’s heritage – is the heart of the cathedral quarter on the corner of Bayley Lane and Cuckoo Lane.

Coventry-born businessman Simon Close stumbled upon the grade II listed building and said he knew immediately would make a great new venue for the city.

“I was walking down the street one day and I just saw it and thought then it could look great when it was open,” said Simon, aged 38.



“The building is a bit of a jewel in Coventry’s crown and I think sometimes we forget about what Coventry has to offer. For what little corners of beauty we have we should utilise it more.

“Little did I know then what a mammoth task it would be.”

The building had sat empty for more than 20 years until Simon snapped it up.

He added: “It was important for me to keep as many features as we could of the building.

“The building was in a terrible state. Parts of it were deteriorating so there was a lot of work to do.

“I just thought it was a shame that a lovely building like this was left to get into that state.

“A lot of the features needed restoring when came in here so we did what we could.

“It was a painstakingly long process but thankfully I sourced some really good local contractors who could help and they have done a fantastic job.I didn’t ever imagine it would look this good.”

Coventry's old court house: The facts

* The building dates back to 1783 and was built by architect Samuel Eglinton.

* It retained the name County Hall after Coventry’s status as a county in its own right was removed by the Boundary Act in 1847.

* Land next to the building was used as a jail and the Prison Governor’s House is still attached to the County Court building on the corner of Pepper Lane.

* It was one of the few 18th-century public buildings in the city and is the only one to survive.

* The most famous case heard at the courts was that of Mary Ball in 1849, the last person to be hanged in Coventry.

* In 1988 the courts were closed for the final time and moved to a new court complex in Much Park Street.

[Spuffler]

I don't understand why it has to be a bar. An ignominious fate for an elegant building.

[dutchman]

First floor of historic Establishment bar could be turned into student flats



A historic former jail and popular nightspot in Coventry could be turned into student accommodation.

Plans have been submitted to Coventry City Council to transform the upper-floors of the Establishment Bar and Grill in Bayley Lane into 16 self-contained rooms.

According to council planning documents, the existing bar and dining area would not be altered.

The leaseholder of the grade-II listed building is looking to turn the vacant office space into student accommodation after seeing that “the demand for student accommodation in this area is considerable.”

The student rooms would double as serviced apartments outside of term time.

The Old County Hall became a licenced bar and restaurant, with additional office space on the upper floors, in 2012 after two years of extensive refurbishment.

In 2015, the bar received planning permission to turn the vacant space into 15 hotel rooms as the upper office space was never let.

The application, made by Marie O'Neill from County Hall Properties, is now seeking to make the vacant areas on the first and second floor into 12 single bedrooms and four twin bedrooms with access via Pepper Lane.

No alterations to the outside of the building would be made, other than opening up a boarded up window and creating 12 rooflights.

Sixteen cycle spaces would also be installed near the building.

The lessee believes that additional income secured through student accommodation would ensure “the long term success of the development”.

They also believe that “these alterations will ensure the long term future of this prized, historic building with minimal disturbance to the fabric of the building”.

If you ask me that was the plan all along!

[rebbonk]

I honestly think that we're putting all of our eggs in one basket. It seems we've learned little from the past!