According to the Wirral Globe, the venue has been described as ‘the gateway to Wirral’ and is now the subject of a petition, which followed a planning application being put in place to demolish the site.
The site has operated as a pub since the 1840s and closed its doors officially in July 2024.
It was part of Whitbread’s Beefeater chain as the company took the decision to shut a number of venues throughout the country. The pub officially closed and later became a restaurant for Premier Inn guests.
Demolition request
A planning application has been submitted by the Whitbread to Wirral Council with request to demolish the site and enable the construction of a newer accommodation block for the hotel.
According to the Wirral Globe, a Whitbread spokesperson said the company had instructed one of the company’s planning and heritage consultants to asses the building.
The report said the building held low significance due to certain changes made over the years.
It also indicated the potential benefits from hotel expansion would ultimately outweigh any losses to the building.
According to the Wirral Council website, the official planning proposal of the site, read: “Demolition of existing hotel restaurant and replacement with new building providing additional hotel bedrooms, together with alterations to the car park and all associated works.”
Response to the demolition has been largely negative from community members. The town’s Facebook page has seen a multitude of comments. The petition was started two weeks ago and had reached 1,416 signatures at the time of publication, with 449 people signing the last week alone.
Strongly opposed
The petition read that the co-signatories “strongly oppose this proposal”. It called on Wirral Council to reject the proposal and ‘prioritise the preservation of the Glegg Arms for future generations’.
The petition also urged Whitbread to reconsider itsplans and offer alternative options to maintain the external appearance of the building.
It said the Glegg Arms was ‘more than just a building but part of Heswall’s history and character.'
A Premier Inn spokesperson, according to Wirral Global, said their current focus was making sure the council had all the information needed to asses the application and confirmed it was planning to respond to a letter from the Heswall Society.
A post on the Heswall Society Facebook page described the Glegg Arms as “an excellent example of a coaching inn” naming it as an iconic building with cultural significance and a much-loved feature of the community".
