Historic England said it had recently started the project on England’s post-war pubs to raise levels of understanding and appreciation. This campaign would extend its strategic project to promote the appreciation and protection of pubs. It said that the drop in the numbers of pubs was “significant”, and has had a notable impact on the historic environment and the lives of many people.
A campaign is expected to be launched towards the end of 2017 and will focus on preserving post-war pubs that are over 30 years-old. The government body has the power to grant their status as listed buildings, which offers them protection from development.
Historic England is the public body that champions and protects historic places and oversees 400,000 of the most important listed historic places in England, including buildings, battlefields, monuments, parks, gardens and shipwrecks.
The organisation has been carrying out a series of internal and external projects to increase understanding and protection of pubs.
The Urban and Suburban Public House, 1918-1939, initiative saw the body undertake extensive research that resulted in 19 new urban and suburban inter-war pubs being added to the National Heritage List for England.
In addition to the 19 that were listed, The Black Horse, Northfield, Birmingham, was upgraded from Grade II to Grade II*.
In 2015, the organisation also commissioned external consultants to identify and assess significant pubs of a range of types and dates to raise awareness about the history and development of Bristol’s pubs. A second externally commissioned project in 2015, similar to that in Bristol, also looked at the pubs in Leeds.