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Pub Preservation
The Pineapple is saved!
After a long campaign, highlighted in previous editions of TFP, there's good news from the campaigners fighting to save the Pineapple.
This report from the campaign group....
The Pub has been saved! The new owners of the pub are the Powells, who are residents of Highgate/Kentish Town. They completed on their purchase on Wednesday 10 April, and were very cheered by the fact that, when they were celebrating in the Pineapple that day, with the door open, 3 people came up and asked them if the pub was open.
They are very excited to be the new owners – they have no experience of the pub trade, but bought the building because they “fell in love with it”, and are already collecting pineapple bits and pieces to adorn the pub, while trying to learn all they can as quickly as possible.
They have also been to see CAMRA, who tell us that at the moment they are thinking of keeping three real beers: Fullers, Youngs and a guest beer. The Powells have been to Camden (Conservation Dept) to check out what they can/can't do in terms of decoration under the terms of the listing. As regards security, they have installed someone to live in and keep an eye on the place until it opens.
They hope to re-open on 17/18 May. We'll keep you posted....
New Planning Application. The Powells have also submitted an application for change of use for a large part of the building to become a backpackers' hostel. Because of the listing, they have also had to apply to make alterations to a listed building in relation to the change of use. This application has not, as yet, popped out of Camden's system as a registered application with a number. As soon as it does, we'll notify you. As before, there will be only 21 days from the date the plans are registered to the end of the consultation period, so if anyone has any objections either to the alterations, or to the opening of a backpackers' hostel, they'll have to act swiftly. The Powells have passed a copy of the draft plans to Pineapple rescue for comment, and has met representatives for feedback. We have raised some points about the integrity of the building vis a vis the listing, and about the practicality of aspects of the proposed new layout.
You can contact us as usual by email on:
pineapple@scotthunter.co.uk
Yorkshire Grey up for let
The Yorkshire Grey in Theobalds Road, WC1 is up for let. This imposing corner pub was sold by Scottish & Newcastle to Enterprise Inns last year as part of a 432 managed pub package worth £263 million.
Over the last few years Enterprise Inns has built up its pub estate significantly. It acquired 185 pubs from Whitbread in 2000, 439 pubs from Morgan Grenfell Private Equity last Summer and recently added to this by a deal with Nomura, bringing into its portfolio 4000 Unique and Voyager pubs.
In early April it announced that it was teaming up with Fleurets, who specialise in the hotel and licensed property market, to let 150 pubs nationwide. There are twelve other pubs affected in London besides the Yorkshire Grey, of which four are in North London. These are the Salisbury in Balls Pond Road, Islington, the Prince Arthur in Eversholt Street, Camden and two pubs in NW9: King's Arms, 163 Edgeware Road and the Lord Elgin in Elgin Avenue.
Reproduced from the Full Pint, Issue 15.
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