Opinions have been split by plans to tear down a city pub to build student accommodation. The Foresters Inn on Huntingdon Street, behind the Victoria Centre, could be demolished and replaced with a six-and-a-half storey building hosting 22 student apartments and a shop on the ground floor, if new plans are approved by Nottingham City Council.
Currently the ground floor pub is vacant after being closed down due to lack of business. The upper floors are currently let out as serviced apartments.
Opinions from people in the area were split on the proposal, with some saddened by the loss of another pub. Richard Arnold, 54, from Thorneywood, said: "I think the pubs have been squeezed for years out of business, with less people going to them and being squeezed by breweries. You're seeing less and less of them around.
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"I think it [student accommodation] is a sign of a lack of variety in building and planning within the city. It's good to attract students to the city as they keep the night-time economy going and all the new buildings look quite modern, but you cannot just let developers build it everywhere."
Retired Des Fulton, 85, from Nottingham, said: "It's a bit of a shame how many pubs are going and turning into flats. I do also think there are a lot of student buildings in the city already. But if they can't keep it open as a pub what are they supposed to do. It might be better to turn it into something new than leave it unused."
The housing above the pub suffers from cold and damp and is not cost-effective due to poor energy performance, according to planning documents. The developers behind the project say the building would not be suitable for conversion.
A Nottingham Trent University student, who lives in a nearby building and did not want to be named, said a greater supply of student accommodation was needed to bring down prices. "I have to honest I think that's a good idea in the long-term. Nottingham needs more accommodation because the prices are huge.
"Mine's not very good and it is £160 a week, and that's because there's so much demand. I'm not a big drinker and I don't think it's been open since I've been here, so I've never noticed it."
Those behind the project said it would "provide a modern, healthy and comfortable living environment". In a planning document, Spark Design And Planning, on behalf of applicant Notts City Living Ltd, said: "The current property is significantly under–utilised. The ground floor is not fit for purpose and is not suited for conversion without major construction and demolition works.
"The existing accommodation, despite the owner’s best efforts, is cold and suffers from damp. It is expensive to run due to poor energy performance characteristic of these types of buildings. Problems with converting older problems are well known.
"Over 50 percent of retrofit projects fail to deliver intended results. The new development will provide a modern, healthy and comfortable living environment. The design will add to the vibrancy of the area and uplift the street scene.
"Students and city visitors will welcome the new accommodation. The ground floor retail unit will provide jobs and offer valuable products and services to the local area. The area is characterised by similar very successful developments all of which are being used to their fullest potential."
Conservationists have previously spoken of their concerns about a 'wall of high rise buildings' to the city's east side, between the city centre, St Ann's and Sneinton Market. According to the Whatpub.com website, The Foresters Inn was formerly a Shipstones tied house, with three rooms. It is located near The New Foresters pub, an LGBT+ pub since 1958 that's undergone a recent revamp having been takeover. The plans for student accommodation for The Foresters Inn site are pending consideration by Nottingham City Council.
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