Last orders? Former Greenwich pub and shop demolition recommended as other is reprieved
Greenwich planners have recommended that the former Greenwich Book Time shop on Creek Road, which was formally a pub, be demolished.
The former owner fought a battle against development for years. The neighbouring site has seen the “Gramercy” development constructed over the past two years, and I covered the planning application here.
It will now go before Greenwich Councillors to approve or reject next week.
Nearby there were plans to demolish the former Thames pub – a lovely old building which offered a great contrast to new-builds all around. Happily this has been refused. There’s little doubt that it could thrive under the right management given the huge increase in homes within the vicinity.
Reasons for refusal were the loss of a heritage asset; one which offers a glimpse into the streetscapes in this area before redevelopment, plus a loss of privacy for nearby homes and servicing concerns for the commercial unit. It would only have offered eight homes – the current building refurbished would likely provide at least half that and retain a building of great character.
Good to see the pub building saved. I was brought up around Greenwich, in the 1970s, so much of it has been demolished and redeveloped into soulless buildings with no character. Shame more old buildings are not saved instead of knocking them down and replacing with concrete dumps!
“Heritage asset offering a glimpse etc etc”. Mighty small glimpse ! Such hypocrisy from the same planners who’ve presided over unfettered destruction and over-development of the area with out of scale brutalist heaps of “investment money-boxes. Both buildings should be saved, if for no other reason than to break up the tasteless, immutable monotony of what surrounds them.
I agree with the other commenters. I too am glad the Thames pub building is not being demolished. So will it be refurbished as just a pub, or will it combine inn-style accommodation as well? It would be nice to see it popular with tourists – it’s in a great location.
The developers appealed; although the appeal was rejected, the Bristol inspector agreed in principle to demolition. So it’s doomed.
You might have believed that national policy on heritage assets is that the neglected condition shouldn’t be a factor, especially if the owner seems to have allowed it to become decrepit. You were wrong.