FOR almost a decade a dilapidated pub in Reading has been stood empty and remains boarded up despite plans to replace it with flats.
The Restoration, west of the Norcot Junction in Oxford Road, Tilehurst, has been closed since around 2015, becoming a hotspot for flytipping and other anti-social behaviour.
A plan to replace the pub with a new similar-looking building containing 18 flats was withdrawn in November.
At the time, a planning consultant from Bluebird Engineering said the plan was being redrawn to comply with safety guidance.
However, while the pub is boarded up, it is not unoccupied.
When the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) visited before Christmas, a man who was inside said the building is being used as accommodation.
There are concerns that the boarded up pub is leading to anti-social behaviour and degradation, with flytipping becoming a known problem in the area.
When the LDRS visited, there was a pile of rubble lying near one of the pub’s entrances.
Despite these issues, The Restoration has been added to the local list of important buildings at a recent Reading Borough Council meeting.
Cllr Mark Keeping (Labour, Kentwood), who represents the area, argued that listing should not be used as an excuse to deter redevelopment of the site.
“My colleague councillor Glenn Dennis (Labour, Kentwood) and I have discussed this, and would like to say how disappointed we are of the withdrawal of planning applications for the site before determination,” he said.
“The site has been practically derelict since closure, and has suffered from small fires recently and some suspected rough sleeping.
“We don’t have an overall view on the listing of the property, but if the listing is to be used as an instrument with which to keep the property in a derelict state, this would not be desirable.
“The business being run in the car park also does little to improve the aspect of the site.”
A car wash has operated from the pub car park for a number of years, with Car Wash Five Star Ltd running the business.
Supporting the listing, Cllr Karen Rowland said that it was “arguable” that The Restoration is an ‘extraordinary’ building, and has a strong heritage value due to its prominent position in Oxford Road.
“When you drive along Oxford Road, you see these public houses you see these properties, the pubs, going on out and ending The Roebuck before we leave Reading,” she said.
“In that regard, it makes a commendable reminder of that heritage, and how it developed along with the Norcot estate.”
She backed the listing status, but also agreed with cllr Keeping that it has been ‘shameful’ that the site has been allowed to become a flytipping hotspot.
Meanwhile, Cllr James Moore lamented the continued closure of The Restoration.
“This pub has been closed for as long as I’ve lived in Reading, and I’ve lived here a long time, I think it’s unlikely to ever reopen as a pub, I think that ship has long sailed,” he said.
“It is a shame that it’s just sat here, we have other empty pubs across Reading as well, The Lower Ship in Duke Street is another sorry tale, which is now finally up for sale.
“This is another that has just sat there and every time I drive and walk past it I always feel sad that it’s another opportunity wasted to bring something back into use, either for dwellings or a community facility, hopefully this local listing will strengthen the case for that to be a reality in the future.”
The Restoration was added to the list at the council planning applications committee meeting on Wednesday, December 6. So far, the owner has not submitted a fresh plan for the pub.
While listing does not ban redevelopment, any plan would have to recognise the loss of the heritage that the loss of the building would represent.
