York pub earmarked for demolition gets ACV reprieve

13-Oct-2017 - Last updated on 13-Oct-2017 at 09:22 GMT

Private investor: proposals include a community pub, deli, restaurant, meeting place and play garden

A Yorkshire pub that looked set to be demolished and replaced with a luxury care home could be saved after an anonymous bidder expressed an interest in buying the premises.

The Carlton Tavern on Acomb Road in York had been earmarked for demolition to make way for a 79-bed residential home after pubco Marston’s agreed it would sell the site to Crown Care Developers earlier this year.

However, the alehouse was listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) in March, which delayed the sale. Now a private local investor has expressed an interest in purchasing the property if the planning application is rejected at the City of York’s planning committee meeting on 18 October.

A community pub and more

Joe Gardham, founder of Social Vision, an organisation that supports socially-minded businesses, is working with a private investor on a social and economic regeneration proposal that, if successful, would provide a community pub, deli, restaurant, meeting place and play garden all in one space.

He told The Morning Advertiser there were also plans to develop a micro-brewery with a focus on real ale and craft beer, as well as a rotating kitchen featuring guest chefs with a month-long residency. Any profits would be capped and invested in training and developing the skills of young people in the direct area.

Brings generations together

Louise Ennis, who represents local residents and businesses opposed to the care home scheme, said the new proposal had had an amazing response from locals looking for a “new kind of social space that brings generations together” and one “where they can take their kids to play in the garden, meet friends, have a business meeting and enjoy quality food, ales and coffee, and a regularly changing menu, artisan breads and pastries, while making a real contribution to the local economy and the future of the area.”

“It’s a model that could transform people’s lives and keep this much-loved Victorian pub right at the heart of the community,” she said.

88 objections to care home

Ennis added the current care home planning application has received 88 objections to date, with the Victorian Society, the Council for British Archaeology, SAVE Britain’s Heritage, the York Conservation Trust, York Civic Trust and CAMRA among those opposed to the plans.

But Crown Care said the plans, which would involve demolishing the pub and creating and building a three-storey care home, would create 100 jobs.

“There’s a desperate shortage of facilities for adult social care in York and our plans go some way to helping ease the situation,” said Denise Stephenson Crown Care managing director.

A Marston’s spokeswoman said: “Every site is different and is dealt with on a site-by-site basis. All bids are given our due consideration.”