Real ale campaigners have described new plans to convert a pub into flats as a ‘loss to the local community’. It comes as a planning application was submitted by the owner of The Larks Nest on Larkfield Road, in Nuthall, seeking to convert the pub building into five ‘self contained’ flats.
But members of the Nottingham branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) say it would be a shame if such a facility and meeting place is lost in the local community. "It’s been shut for a while as far as I am aware,” said CAMRA member Ray Kirby.
Keep up to date with all the latest food and drink news by signing up to our newsletter here
“[It would be] obviously a loss to the local community because there is not really a great deal in Nuthall pub-wise, you’ve only got the Greene King pub on the main road and that’s about it really - until you get to Kimberley really.
"You could say it's a loss of local amenity, where are the locals going to go?" He said locals would likely have to make a trip to Kimberley instead.
On the potential loss of the The Larks Nest, he added: "Unfortunately in this day and age it’s all too a familiar tale, I'm afraid.”
The plans to convert the pub were submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council on behalf of pub owner Sham Johal. In January this year, the building was put at risk of exploding due to its electricity being bypassed.
On January 23, National Grid bosses were called to the Larks Nest after painters told owner Mr Johal there was smoke coming from the meter.
Engineers found three bypasses at the site, identifying them as fire risks, before disconnecting the property and making it safe later that day. The tenant - who was renting the pub from Mr Johal at the time - said he had no knowledge of the bypasses, saying he had not been to the property for “a long time”.
Trudi Anderson, who was due to take over the pub on February 3, was ‘looking forward to taking the pub over’. At the time she told Nottinghamshire Live that she ‘wanted to take it over and run it her way’, however said ‘they've left us in a right mess’.
However, the new plans to convert the pub have since come to light. Andrew Ludlow, secretary of Nottingham CAMRA, added: “It used to be a small Hardy and Hansons pub. Kimberley, effectively next door, used to have the brewery and a very large tied estate and it was one of theirs.
“It would be a shame if it was converted into flats because it’s in more or less the middle of an estate and you’d have to sort of travel a little bit to get to the next nearest pub.
“It’s been there for, I would imagine, a considerable number of years. [It was a] very pleasant lounge and sort of a locals' bar. I know there’s a growing demand for housing but housing without social amenities is a long-term disaster.
"If you haven't got something like that in the local community, then where have they got to go and meet? It sort of creates estates where everybody is strangers.
“It would be a terrible shame but I suspect like so many we have lost recently it may well fall and become housing but that would be a loss for the local community.”
It comes as recent figures have shown the stark rate of pub closures across the UK. More than 32 pubs shut across England and Wales each month last year, with rising energy bills and staffing pressures contributing to the closures.
Nottinghamshire Live has attempted to contact owner Mr Johal for comment. The planning application is currently awaiting a decision from the local authority.
READ NEXT:
New Covid Arcturus map released as cases spread throughout the UK
Petition to stop 'Hucknall hum' that's keeping residents awake at night
Beeston 'completely changed' as popular former shop is demolished
Businesses hope police scheme can protect them from 'scary' anti-social behaviour in town
Life in the 'friendly' Nottinghamshire village that has thriving independent businesses
