"Hundreds against pub demolition for new Co-op"

[dutchman]

There are 27 petitions in total



Hundreds have signed a whopping 27 petitions against demolition of a Bedworth pub, once ran by hero miner, to become a Co-op.

All 27 petitions, including one from the Bedworth Society, share the same objective - they oppose the plans to turn the former Cross Keys pub into a Co-op store.

They cite many reasons, including the fact it should remain and be marketed as a pub.

One of the petitions also cites how the pub was once run by Israel Marshall, who saved hundreds of lives during the Exhall Pit Disaster in 1915.

It is one of the oldest pubs in the town and the building dates back to the mid-1800s.

Concerns about extra traffic have also been raised and others say the new store would have a detrimental impact on local businesses, such as Sedgies newsagents.

Jas Singh, who owns Sedgies newsagents in Heath Road has been co-ordinating the campaign to stop the closure of the pub.

He has raised concerns from residents who see the pub as a key meeting place for social gatherings in the town, as well as local business owners like himself who fear the new store could affect trade.

The pub is said to no longer be viable and the marketing company said it had been looking to find new owners but no deal has been reached. Mr Singh disagrees with this though.

He said: “People in this area are very angry about this application as this will deprive the community of a much needed social gathering place.

“Many new houses are to be built in this area and this being the only pub left in this area and for a company to say it’s not viable is a complete fabrication, the pub has seen trade double as the rugby club down the road closed down and its members moved in here.”

Both the Victorian Society and the Bedworth Society state that the building should be considered as a non-designated heritage asset and states; ‘its loss would irreparably and unjustifiably harm the character of the local area, depriving it of a heritage asset of high local significance’.

But, despite the huge strength of local feeling against the plan, it is being recommended that it is given the go-ahead.

A previous application for the site was refused by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council but it was lost on appeal by an independent inspector, forcing the council to pay costs and the go-ahead was given.

[dutchman]

Demolition of century-old pub begins to make way for new Co-op store



Demolition work has began at a pub that has stood in Bedworth for 123 years.

The Cross Keys is to be knocked down and replaced by a new Co-op store at the junction of Goodyers End Lane and Bowling Green Lane.

The roof has already been ripped off, with builders having been at the site over the past few days

Hundreds of people had signed a large number of petitions trying to save the pub, but planning chiefs decided to approve plans earlier this summer.

The total of 27 petitions, including one from the Bedworth Society, cited many reasons to reject the proposals, including the fact it should remain and be marketed as a pub.

One of the petitions also said how the pub was once run by Israel Marshall, who saved hundreds of lives during the Exhall Pit Disaster in 1915.

Concerns were also raised for other shops nearby, such as Sedgies, and the impact the arrival of the Co-op could have on their trade.

A previous application for the site was refused by Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council but it was lost on appeal by an independent inspector, forcing the council to pay costs and the go-ahead was given.

But changes were made and a new application was submitted to the council and a final decision made in June.

The main difference in the application that was approved was that the beer garden/children’s play area at the pub was removed from the plans as there is a restrictive covenant on this area. It was originally to receive part of the building, although the main area of it was to be a service yard for deliveries.

The new building was originally in one rectangular block, but the latest updated plans have it as an L-shape.

The number of parking spaces was also reduced by two and the delivery area is now within the car park.

Warwickshire County Council Highways had no objection to the number of parking spaces but did request £5,000 towards a Traffic Regulations Order to extend existing double yellow lines further along Bowling Green Lane.

Highways were concerned that vehicles could pull out in and out of the site across the footpath and similarly pedestrians could walk across the site from any position around the site, so a condition requiring that barriers are provided around the site has been included.