Pub Heritage Bulletin 283 Oct 2026

Greater Manchester, GRAPES INN, Heywood. The focus of this month’s bulletin is on the sale of pubs owned by Samuel Smith’s Brewery. It was anticipated that following the death of Humphrey Smith there would be changes to the management of the estate, and that does appear to be the case with reportedly 26 of their pubs put up for sale or sold in the last month. The pubs earmarked for sale have all been closed for a considerable time, due primarily to the old regime’s management practices, and are seemingly considered by the brewery as not being viable, with most being marketed with suggested alternative uses. The protracted period of closure has inevitably increased the likelihood of a change of use being permitted. Four of their National Inventory pubs are for sale: The Grapes Hotel in Heywood, The Coach & Horses Weaste (both Three Star) and the Bath Hotel, Dewsbury and the Kingsway Hot el, Rochdale (both One Star).

The most alarming development is that a number of the pubs are being marketed specifically as being for non-pub use only, with we assume a clause in the sale agreement. Consequently, Paul Ainsworth has written to Samuel Smith’s on behalf of CAMRA to express concerns over this and point out that any change of use requires planning permission, which is not that straight forward. This complication is likely to actually put off prospective buyers. The recently revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) also requires that pubs must be advertised for at least 12 months before change of use can be considered, something that Samuel Smith’s are not doing with their non-pub use only listings.

On a more positive note, the brewery has also been actively re-opening many long-closed pubs including The Victoria Hotel, Cleveleys (see two- star news) which reopened at the beginning of the month – and also the Wellington, York and the Tankard, Rufforth (as covered in the August Bulletin). There have also been many reports of repair and maintenance works underway in preparation of reopening, as well as more active marketing of pub management vacancies.

The Grapes is rare example of a surviving 1920’s estate pub which retains much of its original floor plan and fittings. It has been shut since early summer 2025 and has now been put on the market through Fleurets with an asking price of £250,000. See: Fleurets. (registration required to see full details). The sale of the Grapes is particularly concerning as it is one of the Sam Smith’s pubs which is being marketed for non-pub use only. It also does not have the protection of statutory listing so a listing application has been submitted to Historic England by Paul Ainsworth.
Thanks to the many people who have contacted us about the sale of these Sam Smith’s pubs.
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Greater Manchester, COACH & HORSES, Weaste. The Coach & Horses, also owned by Sam Smith’s, is a multi-room pub with a fine interior that was built in 1913. It has decorative tiled flooring throughout and a substantial timber servery with glass screen above, as well as a surviving off sales named the ‘Outdoor Department’. It has been closed since 2021 and is on the market through Fleurets with an asking price of £295,000. See: Fleurets. The Coach & Horses was statutorily listed by Historic England in 2012 following a successful application by CAMRA.
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Lancashire, LIMEBURNER’S ARMS, Nether Kellet. Following re-assessment, the Limeburner’s Arms has been upgraded from Two to Three Stars. The basic interior of this rural two-room pub is a wonderful survivor and includes the public bar room to the left which has been little altered since c.1900 and has a rare shuttered bar counter, old back bar shelving, fixed seating and an old fireplace. The right-hand room is even plainer and until recent times was rarely used. The pub has been owned by the same family since 1931, and is a now rare example of a pub attached to a working farm. The other two examples of Three Star pubs with this arrangement being the New Cross Inn, Court Henry, Carmarthenshire, and the Duke of York, Leysters, Herefordshire.
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Cheshire, WHITE LION, Barthomley. We reported last month that the owners of this outstanding 17th Century thatched village inn had given notice to East Cheshire Council of their intention to sell the pub, as is required for a pub that is registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). We understand that the local community group, which has been campaigning to reopen the pub following its closure in 2023, has been approved as a potential bidder and that the ACV six-month moratorium period on the sale has been triggered to allow the group to prepare and submit a bid to buy the pub. To keep up to date with their progress go to the ‘Save the White Lion Barthomley’ facebook group: Facebook.
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Surrey, BELL, Walton-on-the-Hill. Planning permission to convert this characterful country pub to residential was sadly granted by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council in June 2025 (as reported in the June 2025 Bulletin). Following a successful statutory listing application by CAMRA, owners Brakespear have now submitted a listed building application which will conserve the majority of the internal fixtures that were included in the listing description - including the bar counters. Whilst, in the circumstances, this is a good outcome, it is difficult to see this restriction being adhered to in a private residential property. Paul Ainsworth has requested an annual check by the council to ensure compliance. We understand that the pub itself is still trading, so it’s still not too late for a visit - but safest to check with the pub first before travelling.
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Norfolk, GATEHOUSE, Norwich. Following many objections from the local community on the plans to convert the Gatehouse to a mosque and community centre (see August Bulletin), we are relieved to hear that the application has been withdrawn. The owners, The Norwich Muslim Centre, outbid a community group who were planning to reopen the pub, when they purchased it in 2025. The owners now want to negotiate directly with the planning officers to see how they can use the building without having to address the planning committee! We wait to hear what the result of that consultation may be. The pub, which was built in 1934 as an ‘improved public house’ was listed in 2015 following Historic England’s review of interwar public houses. Thanks to Caroline Jones for the news.
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Oxfordshire, CROOKED BILLET, Stoke Row. We reported in the August bulletin that the Crooked Billet would be opening again soon and that damage caused by a fire in the kitchen was not thought to be too severe. Sadly, that was overly optimistic – it is now reported by owner, Paul Clerehugh, that the interior has been badly damaged and the repair works will take a year to complete. The pub operation has temporarily decamped to the nearby Greyhound, which has been shut since late 2024. See: Oxford Mail.
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Lancashire, VICTORIA HOTEL, Cleveleys. Some good news to report from Sam Smiths - the Victoria Hotel, an imposing interwar pub in baronial style, reopened at the beginning of October. It had been closed since October 2023.
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