Pub Heritage Bulletin 277 Apr 2026

Greater Manchester, SHAKESPEARE, Farnworth. The partly retrospective planning application to turn the Shakespeare into an HMO has, thankfully, been refused by Bolton Council. Work converting the first floor had already started and a car sales business has been in operation on the site, both without the necessary planning permission (see February bulletin). Built in 1926 the Shakespeare is one of the finest surviving examples of an interwar suburban pub in the country with an intact floorplan and high-quality fittings throughout. It is grade II listed and has now been closed since April 2022. The planning officer’s report highlighted the many shortcomings of the application including lack of a viability and marketing report, and an inadequate heritage statement. Generally, the over-development was considered harmful to both the fabric and setting of the listed building, and it was good to see the that the pub’s National Inventory status was referenced in the report. We wait to see what the owners next move will be, but anticipate that an amended application will probably be submitted. Sadly, there is no sign of anyone currently wanting to save the Shakespeare and reopen it as a pub, so the outlook remains bleak. Thanks to Vivienne Cooper & Mark Finney for the news.
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Northumberland, STAR INN, Netherton. The Star, which has been closed since 2023, is up for sale with an asking price of £385,000. See: Land Sale. Thanks to Rob Vevers for reporting this news.
This wonderful time-warp pub was run for many years by Vera Wilson -Morton who sadly passed away in 2024, ending over 100 years of same family custodianship. Fearing for its future, Pub Heritage Group successfully applied for statutory listing which was granted in August 2025 (see August bulletin). The present sale particulars stipulate that it must be sold as a public house and state that ‘ as a designated heritage asset, the building’s significance derives not only from its architectural and historic fabric but also its long-standing function as a public house serving the local community’.
Dave Gamston of Pub Heritage Group, who has been at the forefront of our efforts to ensure the pub’s survival, comments: ‘Comforting though this stipulation sounds, should no buyer come forward a lot will depend on how resolutely Northumberland County Council as planning authority will refuse any potential change-of-use application. Refusal would be consistent with its published policy on safeguarding community facilities, the Star being Netherton’s only pub, with the next nearest five miles away. PHG is making renewed contact with the planners to seek more clarification if possible, and also to engage with relevant elected representatives’
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Greater Manchester, MARBLE ARCH, Manchester. We reported in the November 2025 Bulletin on the outrageous proposal by developers McGoff Group for a tower block development abutting the Marble Arch. McGoff’s have now put forward an alternative, which doesn’t really appear any better. See: See: Down Town Victoria North 2. The proposal, which remains 17 storeys high, will still dwarf the Marble Arch, but has now been moved a few metres away from the pub building allowing an area of landscaping in between. The owners of the pub remain resolutely opposed to the development stating that it will significantly harm the setting of the listed building. See: Manchester Evening News.
Pub Heritage Group have objected to the revised proposal as part of the consultation process, but it seems likely that a planning application for the scheme will be submitted in due course. Thanks to Paul Ainsworth for this news.
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West Midlands, BLACK EAGLE, Birmingham. The Black Eagle, built in 1895 and with a surviving multi-room Victorian interior, is reportedly closing at the end of the current football season. The owners have already built two homes in the garden of the Black Eagle and we understand the intention is now to turn the pub into housing. Paul Ainsworth has submitted a listed building application to Historic England on behalf of CAMRA. Thanks to Ash Corbett-Collins for this unwelcome news.
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Merseyside, WHEATSHEAF, St Helens. Following re-assessment, The Wheatsheaf has been upgraded from Two to Three Stars. The Wheatsheaf is a remarkably intact example of a 1930s roadhouse in ‘Brewers Tudor’ style and was built in 1938 by the Warrington brewers Greenall Whitley. The pub retains its multi-room layout of six separate rooms with original bar counters, timber panelling, doors with etched glass panels, fixed seating, and also has a bowling green to the rear.
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North Yorkshire, GOLDEN BALL, York. The Golden Ball Co-operative announced on the 28th March the good news that they had completed the purchase of the freehold of the Golden Ball from pub company Stonegate, who had put it up for sale in September (see October bulletin). Although the co-operative, which has successfully run the pub since 2012, had recently agreed a lease until 2043, the ownership of the freehold provides long-term stability for this popular community pub which is included on the inventory for its well-preserved interior, a very rare surviving 1929 refit by John Smiths brewery.
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Greater Manchester, GRAPES INN, Heywood. The Grapes, which is owned by Samuel Smith’s, closed in early summer 2025. Built in 1926 as an estate pub, it retains its multi-room floor-plan and most of the original fittings. We have no information about the reasons for the closure, but as is the way with Sam Smith’s, we anticipate that it will reopen eventually once new managers are found. Further updates welcome. Thanks to Steve Gwilt for the news and Rochdale, Oldham & Bury CAMRA for confirming.
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Wiltshire, THREE CROWNS, Chippenham. The Three Crowns, a popular traditional community pub now owned by Broadtown Brewery of Calne, has been added to the inventory at Two Star. The pub was refitted by Ushers of Trowbridge in 1922 and a plan of the refit is on display in the pub. The current two bar layout dates from this period with the main front bar little altered since then with the original bar counter, bar back, bench seating, and panelling all surviving.
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West Yorkshire, ALBERT HOTEL, Huddersfield. The Albert Hotel was built in 1879 and designed by Edward Hughes, a leading contributor to central Huddersfield’s Victorian architecture. The pub has genuinely old and impressive mahogany and marble bar counters but the interior otherwise is a mixture of re-used old fittings and imported new work. Consequently, following re-assessment, it has been downgraded from Two Star to One Star.
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East Sussex, PRINCE OF WALES, Newhaven. The Prince of Wales is a traditional pub which was refitted in 1930 by United Brewery of Portsmouth who added the magnificent green-tiled exterior. The interior two room layout contains fittings from the period with some 1960s additions. Richard Williams reports that it is for sale through Sidney Phillips with an asking price of £380,000. See: Sidney Phillips. The owners, who have run it for 25 years, are looking to retire.
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Greater London Noth West, MAGDALA, Hampstead. Built in the 1860s the Magdala is included on the inventory primarily for its 1930s refit of which the right-hand public bar remains remarkably intact. The owner of the Magdala is Ori Kalif (who previously owned the Carlton Tavern at the time of its unlawful demolition in 2015). In 2024 the Magdala’s first floor function room was converted to residential without planning permission and now a retrospective planning application has been lodged with Camden Council to cover this work. Campaigners including North London CAMRA have objected to this loss of a much-needed community facility. See: Ham & High. The pub is famous for its association with Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK, who shot her lover outside the pub in 1955.
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Cornwall, GOLDEN LION, Port Isaac. Following the report of closure in the last bulletin we are pleased to hear that the Golden Lion has reopened. Owners St Austell have appointed temporary managers with the aim of finding a new long-term tenant soon. Thanks to Russ Durbridge for the news.
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Northern Ireland, WEST BAR, Portadown. The extremely bad news to report from Portadown is that the surviving 19th Century fittings of the West Bar have been removed and auctioned off. This includes the bar counter, the remaining snug, and the magnificent bar back which includes six spirit casks (estimated to sell for 80,000 Euros) and also a rare surviving advertising mirror by William W. Cleland which dates to 1872 advertising Castle Bellingham Ales and Stouts (estimated at 50,000 Euros). The auction was held on the 18th & 19th March. For pictures of the items see: Northern Ireland World. The pub has been for sale for a number of years and is now closed. Not surprisingly, the West Bar has been removed from the Inventory.