Closed Victorian pub to become flats

The former Lord Raglan in Water Street, Radcliffe, will be converted into six dwellings after Bury Council’s planning committee gave the go ahead to plans this week. 

Applicant John Mulcahy had originally asked to develop 10 one-bedroom apartments in the Victorian building but agreed to reduce this to six with the same number of parking spaces.  

The pub had its licence revoked 18 months ago following a large-scale fight that spilled out onto the road and the premises was sold at auction earlier this year. 

A licence application to reopen the pub under new ownership was rejected in September 2015, after police raised concerns that it would still be controlled by the former licence holder. 

After the violent incident in May 2015, police revealed a history of Lord Raglan staff being unco-operative with officers. 

Speaking at the planning meeting on Tuesday, Mulcahy said the pub was "financially unviable" and had been sold a number of previous times to people trying to open it as a pub.

“We are looking to revitalise a landmark building and provide residential accommodation, which there is a huge demand for,” the Bury Times​ reported Mulcahy as saying. 

Plans include keeping most of the existing structure in order to “maintain the integrity and character of the building”. 

Earlier this year, The Morning Advertiser​ reported on BII Licensee of the Year Keith Marsden​ losing his battle against the development of 46 flats adjacent to his pub. 

Developer Birmingham Properties Group had been given approval for the flats next to the Prince of Wales in Moseley, Birmingham, but Marsden insisted he would continue to fight against it.