Pubs being converted into flats is nothing new but over the past two years they have been closing at a rate never seen before. Although some may welcome this, for others some of the closures represent a significant loss for the community.
However alongside closures, Bristol has seen pub refurbishments and reopenings in the past few years and the south west remains the area with more pubs per head than anywhere else in the country. Some of the recent closures are still being fought hard by the communities who want the pubs to reopen or want to see an alternative to the development of flats.
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The community in Bedminster fought hard to save their beloved Windmill pub and when the developers were refused planning permission in November 2021, following its closure the previous year. But the pub's owner Bar Wars appealed against the council’s decision and was later granted permission to convert the building into flats in spring this year. The community had raised money in an attempt to buy the pub, it was not enough.
The Queen Vic was a popular pub with Bristol Rovers fans before it was converted into flats in 2020 by developers. Other Bristol pubs disappeared off the map that year such as The Pineapple, a Grade II listed building that was popular with the LGBT community. Despite objections, it was converted into flats.
The Travellers' Rest - a historic pub in Patchway that closed during the pandemic - was bought by the housing association Bromford and was set to be converted into affordable housing. The Bradley Stoke Journal reported in September that the housing association had since abandoned its plans to convert the former pub into 27 apartments and the building, which has been boarded up for over two years, is now back on the market.
Both The Swan and The Rhubarb in Barton Hill closed in 2020, leaving the neighbourhood without any pubs. The Swan has since been undergoing extensive redevelopment and, although it will no longer be a pub, it was purchased by local charity Wellspring Settlement and will provide a much-needed facility for young people in the area.
Although The Rhubarb has remained closed for over two years, local campaigners have not given up on their mission to save the historic pub. Developers withdrew their original application but then resubmitted a fresh one but flats are yet to be approved.
Like The Rhubarb, the former Wetherspoons the St George's Hall on Church Road in Redfield was set to be converted into flats. Developer Landrose had plans to convert the historic building into 44 bedsits but a local campaign, which gained support from Bristolian actor Stephen Merchant, was launched to save a hidden cinema, thought to be one of the oldest in the country.
The Save Redfield Cinema campaign was hoping to meet with the developers late last year but it never happened and while the initial application attracted 1,000 objections, a fresh application was then submitted, which campaigners say is identical to the first.
The campaign continues with locals hoping to not only save the cinema but for the remaining space to be for the community with some social housing in the mix. The group had been busy working with MA architecture students at UWE and are holding a meeting this week to give people a chance to share their ideas on how they think the space should be used.
The same developer Landrose ended up building nine flats on what had been a 200-year-old pub in St George. Locals campaigned hard to save The Three Crowns and although they were successful in getting it listed as an asset of community value, the development still went ahead. However not all pubs that could have been converted into flats ended up going that way. The Rose & Crown on Two Mile Hill was closed and in disrepair for over a year.
The pub was instead taken on by new owners and underwent a huge renovation, reopening in 2022. The pub’s old skittle ally has been converted into a restaurant and is popular with locals and families.
Many others have seen a similar fate, such as The George & Dragon on Church Road, which was put on the market in November 2021 but reopened the following year as a pub. After two years of closure, The Kings Head on Victoria Street after the new owners decided to bring the pub back to life a few months ago. Like a few others on the list, The Giant Goram in Lawrence Weston may still have a chance of remaining within the community.
Developer Hawkfield Homes was set to convert the pub into flats but backed out of the scheme. The pub was then destined to be sold at auction by Hollis Morgan but the sale never went ahead.
According to the campaigners, the pub was removed from the auction in September on the same evening due to legal technicalities. The community still hope that they can acquire the pub and reopen it.
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