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Demolition signs at historic pub
Saturday 22nd March 2008, 11:40AM GMT.
Demolition notices have been put up at a pub in the Black Country, sparking fears campaigners might have lost a year-long battle to save it from the bulldozer.
The notices warning demolition is due to start have gone up at the site of the Boat Inn in Coseley in the last few days to the dismay of campaigners.
The battle to save the 180-year-old pub started last March and was led by heritage campaigner John Wilkes.
He had hoped the building in Havacre Lane could be preserved after a builder expressed an interest in converting the site into apartments.
Mr Wilkes, from the Paddock, Coseley, said: “It has come as a quite a shock to see demolition notices go up as only recently I was talking to a builder who was keen to take over the pub and develop it into housing.
“Before this builder showed an interest I had more or less given up hope but this was a saving grace. I am greatly saddened but I do feel I have done all I can. This is a good historic building and now all we can pray for is a last minute reprieve.”
Dudley Council previously confirmed it had been notified by the owner of his intention for the building to be demolished. No planning permission is required.
Since it closed to drinkers the pub has been the target of repeated vandal attacks.
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Has anyone put in a Listing application to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport?
I would say that this building has a chance though it would need to happen very quickly. Send photos, building description/ history and location plan to the DCMS address (get it from their website along with details of applications for Listing).
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It must be a general problem to know what to keep & what to let go. In particular, “Boozers” are less frequently used – for many reasons. Be realistic, some buildings are to far gone to save & consequently a new build raises the tone of the neighbourhood with the benefits that brings.
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Ahhhhh an interesting building – in the Midlands that equals a demolition job !!! These Cllrs have no imagination these days – how do they sleep at night ?
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Another piece of English history being destroyed. These Council employees/Councillors have no sense of cluture, history of sentiment – evil people, but this will get worse when more non-indeginous people take control of our Councils and Governments, this is just the start of the destruction of our heritage.
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Sorry I havn’t replied to all this until now but was hitherto unaware of Coseley Online’s existance.
As far as I am concerned, it is simply a matter of whether my builder friend can persuade the owner to sell so that he can convert the main building into flats.
The owner wants a great deal of money for the land and seems to think it is of more value to him cleared.
The problem with new build is that, whilst it may work as a quick fix, it turns whole areas into dormitory suburbs which do not generate their own wealth in the long term and make an area less interesting to visit so there is even less chance for the sort of tourist revenue that we shall be wishing for more and more with the further decline in industry. The cheaply built small-roomed dwellings mainly being built around here will become the slums of the future. They are mainly built using environmentally unsustainable materials. For example, brick-clay is now becoming scarce and there is difficulty in finding new sources. Demolition and rebuild not only wastes the good buildings but also a good amount of what they are made of. Energy is also wasted in shifting debris to disposal centres and then grinding the bricks up for hard core.
Restoration is a more intersting and environmentally friendly way of raising the tone of an area. This would also help us use the heritage of areas to further improve them and create long-term sources of income. For example, the area around the canal in Coseley (which includes The Boat and the old former Deepfields Post Office) is a great wasted opportunity. Just think of how Birmingham’s Gas Street Basin was transformed in its heritage based regeneration.
This is where our “great leaders” have let us down but people keep voting for them!
Thes “indegiounous” people have let us down for years and we are actually at an advanced stage in our heritage’s demolition.
John Wilkes.
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