Historic Spon End pub sold amid closure fears

[dutchman]

A historic Coventry pub was sold on Monday amid fears for its future.

The Black Horse in Spon End has been sold by owners Punch Taverns after recently losing its Grade II listed status.

That has prompted some local people to fear it could be knocked down.

The trouble-hit pub lost its listed status after representations by the pub company to English Heritage.

The sale of the old ale house was completed yesterday – thought to be for around £275,000.

It is understood to have been sold to a local businessman.

Some residents are calling for assurances about the future of the Victorian building, arguing that it is at a historically important medieval gateway to the city.

The Black Horse had its entertainment licence suspended last year after problems with loud music.

It was also the scene of a terrifying armed raid when four men broke in with an axe and a fake firearm.

Built in the mid-18th century, the Black Horse was then substantially rebuilt in the 19th century and received its characteristic interior refitting in the 1920s.

Giving it listed status only last November, English Heritage said it was “a rare surviving example of a relatively simple and modest urban Victorian public house, a type of public house that was once common throughout England but is now very rare.

“It has been listed for the intactness and good quality of the 1920s decorative scheme, particularly the lincrusta work in the lounge.”

The venue recently had a “goodbye party” with regulars fearing the pub could be lost for good.

Coventry City Council confirmed the listing status had been removed after representations from Punch.

A spokesman confirmed it was considering locally listing the building – which does not provide the same level of protection as an English Heritage listing.

Local councillor and tourism guide Roger Bailey said: “It’s only speculation but it seems it could be knocked down and flats built or something. That would be totally wrong.

“It’s had a lot of problems but the building is part of our heritage and is on a main route into the city.

“The council is hoping to put a local listing on it, which will give it some protection.

“There’s the building itself, then there is also the archeology underneath, which we think is medieval.

“It’s on a medieval route into the city and we think there are artefacts down there, and possibly a moat linked to an old manor.”

[Spuffler]

Money talks louder than the music there, doesn't it?

[dutchman]

Pub could be saved from demolition if council plan approved

A HISTORIC pub in Spon End could be given greater protection if a Coventry City Council bid to have it locally listed is approved.

The Telegraph reported that the Black Horse, in Spon End, has been sold.

The sale – thought to be for around £275,000 – came after previous owners Punch Taverns successfully applied to English Heritage to have its Grade II listed status removed.

This prompted fears that the new owners could knock down the old Victorian ale house.

But the council has today submitted a plan to have the pub listed locally, which would provide it with some protection against being bulldozed.

A report on the listing bid, to be considered on May 10, said: “The listing was removed after an appeal by the owners Punch Taverns despite objections from the council and the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Historic Pubs Group.

“The reason for the delisting was that the interior dated to 1924 rather than the 19th century.

"This was felt to marginally lower the significance of the building below the threshold required for a listed building.

“Despite no longer being considered as nationally significant it is still a heritage asset of tremendous local significance to Coventry because of both the rarity of the building and archaeological remains that lie below it.”

Built in the mid-18th century, the Black Horse was then substantially rebuilt in the 19th century and received its characteristic interior refitting in the 1920s.

Its Grade II listed status was only granted last November.

It is understood the landlady has now been given notice to leave.

Mick Madder, spokesman for the Coventry and north Warwickshire branch of CAMRA, said: “The Black Horse is one of the last surviving pubs of its kind in the area. Punch wanted to remove the listing to help it sell.

"We’re hoping someone’s bought it to continue running it as a community pub and that it will continue to serve the Irish community there.”

The council report states that if the building is locally listed: “development involving the partial or complete loss of such a building will be permitted only if the benefits of the development can be shown to outweigh any resulting harm, or that no realistic alternative for its survival can be secured.”

A public house has been on the site of the Black Horse since 1750.

It is believed to be located on the site of the medieval manor house of Sponna which is first recorded in 1253 and thought to contain important archaeological remains.

The Telegraph was unable to contact the pub’s new owner.

[Spuffler]

Let's hope it is saved. Fingers crossed! Too many old buildings in Coventry have been demolished.

[dutchman]

Let's hope it is saved. Fingers crossed! Too many old buildings in Coventry have been demolished.

It looks as if that wish has been granted:

Owner of Coventry's Black Horse pub furious as city council protect it from demolition

THE NEW owner of the Black Horse pub has reacted furiously after Coventry City Council protected it from demolition.

The decision by the council’s planning committee to locally list the now-closed historic city pub today comes after developer Tony Harris bought it for around £275,000 from Punch Taverns.

He had hoped to knock it down and "open up more employment land".

The former Victorian ale house was previously given Grade II listed status.

This was removed by English Heritage after an appeal by Punch prior to being sold.

Mr Harris - who owns other properties nearby including the Arches snooker club - claimed the decision would cost jobs.

"I am really disappointed at this decision and it just does not make sense," he said.

"The council has not locally listed any building in the city for almost a decade.

"No moves were made to list it when other conservation work in the area was carried out in the recent past.

"A medieval house is thought to have been located somewhere in the area and I have offered the council the chance to undertake archaeological digs to see if there is anything of interest.

"The removal of the building would open up a vista of the viaduct and form much more of a gateway while at the same time removing what is a major pinch point in the road."

A public house has been on the site of the Black Horse since 1750.

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) have called for it to remain a community pub.

Built in the mid-18th century, the Black Horse was then substantially rebuilt in the 19th century and received its characteristic interior refitting in the 1920s.

It is believed to be located on the site of the medieval manor house of Sponna which is first recorded in 1253.

In recent years there have been a number of problems with loud music at the venue, which closed a week ago.

Mr Harris added: "Ironically, we do not plan to actually build on that site so the remains would be kept intact.

"The building stands between a major motor dealership and a tyre and exhaust centre. I have already been in talks with the motor dealership which want to expand and this would suit its needs perfectly.

"If it cannot expand here, it will look elsewhere and may not even stay in the city.

"We have owned the Arches for three years, undertaken considerable refurbishment work and attracted around 40 jobs to the site.

"We feel this is a totally logical step which will improve the area."

[Spuffler]

Bloody developers!! Good on yer, Coventry Council!

[dutchman]

Coventry City Council defends decision to save Black Horse pub

COVENTRY City Council has defended its decision to protect the Black Horse pub from demolition.

The council’s planning committee last week locally listed the former Victorian ale house in Spon End – scuppering its new owner’s plans to knock it down.

Developer Tony Harris complained it was a “missed opportunity” and would cost jobs.

He intended to sell the area to the neighbouring car dealership to use for an extension to its forecourt.

But Councillor Hazel Sweet, who sat on the planning committee, declared: “If we knock down this historic building we are abandoning our heritage.”

The pub did have Grade II listed status, but this was removed upon appeal to English Heritage by Punch Taverns prior to being sold.

Locally listing the building provides a lower level of protection, but only permits development there if it “outweighs any resulting harm or no realistic alternative for its survival can be secured.”

Chris Patrick, the council’s conservation and archaeology officer, said: “There has been a public house on this site since the mid-18th century and the current building dates to the early 19th century.

“I have been informed by a pub expert that it is one of the 200 best preserved pubs in Britain. Although English Heritage no longer feel this building is of national significance, we still consider it to be a significant building.

“We feel it is an important part of the setting at the entrance to the Spon End conservation area and an important link between the city centre and Chapelfields.

“The building is fairly straightforward, but its untouched nature and its ordinariness are what makes it worth listing.”

The pub had been up for sale for £275,000. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) have called for it to remain a community pub.

It is believed to be located on the site of the medieval manor house of Sponna, first recorded in 1253.

The pub had experienced a number of problems in recent years including complaints about loud music, before closing in the last few weeks.

The building also prevents the road being widened at what is considered a traffic pinch point.

Coun Kevin Maton, who chairs the planning committee, said: “The Malt Shovel further along the road is no longer a pub, but we’ve managed to maintain it as a building.

“We have to look at whether this building is worth being retained as part of our heritage.

“Adding the building to the local list will add some protection, but we will still be able to consider any plans that come forward in future.”

[dutchman]

Historic interior ripped out of Coventry pub - before protection order made

THE historic interior of a Coventry pub was ripped out before city planners could slap on an order preserving it.

The Black Horse pub in Spon End has become the battleground between Coventry City Council and a developer who wants to knock it down.

Tony Harris, director of Christchurch Properties and owner of the nearby Arches Industrial Estate, wants to use the land for an extension to a neighbouring car dealership forecourt.

The pub interior was thought to date back to the 1800s and was the reason the Black Horse had been granted Grade II listed status by English Heritage.

But former owners Punch Taverns successfully appealed against the listing by proving the interior was installed in the 1920s.

They sold the pub to Mr Harris in May.

However, his plans to demolish it seemed to be scuppered when the city council quickly gave the building local listing status.

But it has now emerged that the 1920s interior was ripped out in the days immediately after the purchase.

Mr Harris insists the interior was removed BEFORE the pub was locally listed.

He said: “This (removal of the interior) was done so legally and would be common practice in any property bought for renovation, redevelopment or demolition.

“The interior of the pub was in a terribly rundown and filthy state.

"If the exterior or its location had been enough to make it worthy of listing, English Heritage would have protected its (Grade II) listed status.

“I hope the authorities will now allow logic to overrule unjustified nostalgia and allow the city to benefit from the redevelopment of the site, rather than losing out for the sake of saving a derelict building.”

Council officers had said the Black Horse was one of the 200 best preserved British pubs – and one of only 50 with an interior from this period.

Locally listing the building provides a low level of protection, only allowing development if it is deemed it “outweighs resulting harm” or “no realistic alternative for its survival can be secured”.

There has been a public house on the site since 1750 and the present three-storey brick building dates from 1825-1850.

A Coventry City Council spokesman said: “We are not aware of any interior being removed or demolished.

“However, the local listing was based on a number of factors, including the rarity of the building and its important place in the streetscape.

“It also has archaeological importance, as well as being placed near to the Chapel Fields and Spon End conservation areas.”

[Spuffler]

No doubt it won't survive much longer now. Seems to me the way things are going, they might just as well bulldoze the whole damned lot of Coventry, and let the developers do what they want, because they won't rest until they done it piecemeal anyway. Heritage counts for nothing these days.

[dutchman]

Battle to save Black Horse pub building in Spon End goes on

COVENTRY council has passed an order to try and stop a developer demolishing an historic pub.

The owner of the Black Horse, in Spon End, had given notice of plans to knock it down before the city council slapped it with an order banning any development without specific planning consent.

It is the latest manoeuvre in the battle over the future of the former Victorian pub, just outside the Spon End Conservation Area.

Kevin Maton, chairman of Coventry City Council's planning committee, said: "We can't stop (the owner) demolishing it, full stop. But this means the owner will be forced to put in a planning application to ensure it is replaced with something acceptable to us, rather than just a car park or shrubland.

"We, or the planning inspector, will need to decide if there is an acceptable alternative."

The pub, labelled one of the 200 best preserved in Britain by council officers, had Grade II listed status.

This was removed after an appeal to English Heritage by former owners Punch Taverns.

The pub's interior was thought to date back to when the building was first built in the 1800s, but Punch successfully proved the interior was installed in the 1920s.

Punch sold the pub in May.

New owner Tony Harris, director of Christchurch Properties and owner of the nearby Arches Industrial Estate, planned to bulldoze it for an extension to the neighbouring car dealership forecourt.

But after his s275,000 purchase, the council responded by locally listing the Black Horse.

Development of a locally listed building is only allowed if it outweighs resulting harm and no realistic alternative can be secured.

Council officers said its 1920s interior was one of only 50 examples in the UK. Mr Harris then claimed this had been ripped out in the days before it was locally listed.

Coun Maton added: "It wasn't locally listed just for the 1920s interior. It was locally listed for that and its general appearance in the area.

"You only have to go there to realise this is a little bit of Coventry's history that you wouldn't want to lose."

Coun Maton said the council had been in talks with Mr Harris and claimed he is currently using the pub's rear car park to store cars, without planning consent.

Coun Maton insists the council had encouraged a change of use to allow car storage there while retaining the old building.

The former ale house is believed to be located on the site of the medieval manor house of Sponna, first recorded in 1253.

Mr Harris declined to comment.