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Three Star Heritage Pubs
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 Staffordshire, VINE, Stoke-on-Trent. The Vine, a very rare example of a small Victorian back-street local which has been in the same family since 1939, closed in 2021 when landlord Sid Alcock retired. Sid sadly died last year and now the pub is due to be auctioned on the 25th November with a seemingly low reserve of £25,000, which should attract a lot of interest. For details (including comprehensive set of interior photos) see: Butters John Bee. Hopefully a sympathetic buyer will snap it up. It is grade II listed, and planning permission would be required for any change of use. Thanks to Paul Ainsworth for this news.
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 Greater Manchester, BRITONS PROTECTION, Manchester. Some very good news to report at long last for licensees Allan Hudd and Mark West, who have been battling Star Pubs & Bars for the last two and a half years following Star’s move to take the famous pub into their managed portfolio. Following legal hearings Star have now agreed to renew Allan and Mark’s lease for 10 years. See: Manchester Evening News. No further news, however, on the planning application to build a 26-storey tower block next door. This was lodged in June 2022, and if successful would block the light from the pub’s beer garden, threatening its viability.
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 Lancashire, BLACK HORSE, Preston. Congratulations to licensee Dan Taylor and all at the Black Horse for making it through to the final four of the CAMRA Pub of the Year competition. See: What’s Brewing. Owned by Robinson’s brewery, it was rebuilt in 1898 and retains an impressive Victorian interior including the magnificent semi-circular ceramic bar counter – one of only 14 in the country. The overall winner of Pub of the Year competion is due to be announced in the new year.
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 East Yorkshire, STATION BUFFET, Bridlington. We last reported on the Station Buffet in July 2023 when brewers Brass Castle withdrew their planning application to refurbish this truly rare licensed railway station buffet - one of only two on the main UK rail network that have remained unaltered, the other being the Two Star Station Buffet Bar at Stalybridge. The Station Buffet has now been closed for five years and worryingly is being advertised as suitable for various retail and hospitality uses. See: Lambert Smith Hampton. Let’s hope that someone comes forward to rescue this unique establishment soon. Any change of use will require planning permission.
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 Northern Ireland, FORT BAR, Belfast. The Fort Bar closed on 23rd September. Owners the Beannchor Group are looking at options to either find a new leaseholder or put the pub on the market. The Fort Bar has an interior dating to 1885 which features five mahogany snug compartments across from the servery. The servery itself retains a splendidly ornate seven-bay bat back and counter with a tiled fringe typical of Northern Ireland. See: Irish News. Any further news welcome.
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 Staffordshire, DUKE WILLIAM, Stoke-on-Trent. Further to last month’s bulletin we are pleased to report that the Duke William has re-opened with new licensee Judy Bolton taking on the lease. So, it is not being turned into flats just yet! Given the recent turnover of licensees let’s hope Judy can make a success of it. One to keep an eye on.
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.jpg) Derbyshire, EYRE ARMS, Hassop. Paul Ainsworth reports the welcome news that the Eyre Arms, which has been shut since lockdown, is due to reopen at some point next year. We last reported on this in August 2023 when we learned that the owners were having to evict the licensee who was living in, but not opening, the pub. Originally built as a farmhouse in 1632 it has been a pub since at least 1753. It was added to the inventory in 2019 due to its unspoilt 1950s interior.
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 North West Wales, FOX, Ysceifog. Licensees Christopher and Alwena Swallow, who have run the Fox for the past 14 years, have bought the freehold. With their tenancy due to end next year they were due to retire. But, because of fears that it may then close for good, they made the decision to buy and so ensure the survival of this wonderfully unspoilt village pub, which has been little altered since the 1930s. See: Rhyl Journal. Thanks to Andrew Davison for this news.
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West Midlands, Old Swan, Atherstone. The Old Swan has been upgraded from One to Two Stars. Occupying a 16th Century timber framed building there has been little change since a refurbishment of 1962. The layout of public bar, lounge and snug was created at this time and are rich in fittings redolent of the period.
Nottinghamshire, VALE HOTEL, Nottingham. Due to significant changes made since it was added to the inventory, the Vale Hotel has been downgraded from Three Star to Two Star. Designed by the architect T Cecil Howitt, the Vale Hotel was built in 1937 and, despite changes, remains a rare surviving example of an Art Deco pub of the period.
West Midlands, PRETTY BRICKS, Walsall. Paul Ainsworth reports the news that the application for listing of the Pretty Bricks (named after its attractive glazed brick frontage) made by CAMRA has been turned down by Historic England. Whilst Historic England acknowledge its elaborate frontage, it is not deemed to meet the criteria for listing as it is a standard example of a public house of this date, of which there are many surviving examples. The interior, which dates from a 1920’s refit, is not considered by Historic England to meet the criteria either, as this refit has resulted in the partial loss of the earlier layout. Considering that many of the interiors included on the National Inventory are non-original refits this is disappointing news.
Nottinghamshire, CUCKOO BUSH INN, Gotham. The Cuckoo Bush Inn, built in 1858, has reopened following ‘a major refurbishment’ by owners Star Pubs & Bars. Of note here is the public bar with its narrow bench seating and old counter. Hopefully it remains unaltered - updates welcome.