Developers ordered to rebuild historic pub brick by brick after they destroyed it

A group of property developers have been ordered to rebuild a listed pub after they destroyed it without permission.

The Punch Bowl Inn, a Grade II listed pub located on Longridge Road in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, was reduced to rubble in June 2021 after the developers ‘grew tired’ of waiting for permission. They must now put it back together brick by brick and have to pay a hefty fine.

Donelan Trading Ltd and contractor Percliff Ltd claimed the building had fallen into disrepair and had been targeted by arsonists since it closed in 2012, and bought the site in 2015. Ribble Valley Council said it had made efforts to engage but the group ignored the warnings.

Now five defendants have been fined a combined total of more than £20,000 at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court after they were found guilty of various offences following a trial. Andrew Donelan, 61, Nicola Donelan, 59, Rebecca Donelan, 29, all of of Carr Hall, Wilpshire, David John Cotterell, 58, of Percliff Way, Blackburn, and Brian Ingleby, 70, of Hollowhead Avenue in Blackburn, were all found to have unlawfully demolished the pub.

All but Rebecca Donelan were also found to have demolished a listed building without giving the local authority notice of their intention and without the local authority having given them notice to do so. The pub was built in the 1720s and visited by highwaymen Ned King and Dick Turpin.

Turpin and King are said to have stayed for three days after which Turpin travelled on to York while King attacked travellers on the local roads, assisted by landlord Jonathan Brisco. King was executed in 1741 and his ghost was said to haunt the pub.

Ghost tour guide Simon Entwistle said he was ‘devastated’ to see diggers destroying the historic Punch Bowl. Mr Entwistle said what he saw left him ‘shocked’ and ‘deeply saddened’, as he told The Lancashire Telegraph: “Mechanical diggers were reducing the building to rubble.

“I thought what a shame to see all that history destroyed forever. It was shocking and deeply saddening to me to go around the corner and see it. The people on the tour had come from Bristol and were enjoying the tour. They were witnesses to what happened that day too.

“This is the first time I have ever come across something like this. Seeing such a beautiful building being brought to the ground – it was very sad. It was a big hit with people, many famous ghost hunters came to the building, even people from America. It was said to be one of the most haunted inns in the North West.”

As reported by ITV News, David Lawson, defending, told the court the group were worried the building, in Hurst Green, had become unsafe over time. He said they believed its state had declined over the years and had been broken into and targeted by arsonists. He also said the defendants alleged Ribble Valley Council had not acted properly or fast enough, as they became frustrated with apparent delays.

However, Killian Garvey, representing Ribble Valley Council, said borough planning staff had communicated professionally and had made efforts to engage with the group. But they ignored various warnings, including from Historic England, and demolished the pub without permission. They also failed to have a proper road closure.

A previous hearing at Burnley Magistrates’ Court heard a key witness, construction firm boss Gez Pegram, tell a jury that there had been ‘no need’ to demolish the pub. The court agreed Ribble Valley Council was justified in wanting its full costs reimbursed for the work linked to the Punch Bowl Inn action, and that the council had acted correctly.

At Blackburn Magistrates’ Court, Donelan Trading Ltd was fined £12,000, handed a £1,200 court surcharge and ordered to pay £20,000 towards costs. A total of £33,200.

• Andrew Donelan, as an individual person, received a £2,000 fine, a £200 surcharge and told to pay £2,000 towards costs.
• Nicola Donelan was given a £1,000 fine, a £100 surcharge and ordered to pay £1,000 costs.
• Rebecca Donelan received a lower £200 fine, a £25 surcharge and told to pay £250 towards costs.
• Purcliff Ltd was fined £5,600, had a £560 surcharge and told to pay £20,000 towards costs.
• Brian Ingleby was fined £1,000, given a £100 surcharge and charged £1,000.
• David John Cotterell was fined £400, given a £40 surcharge and has to pay £400 towards costs.

The businesses were told to pay fines, surcharges and costs soon while the individuals were given slightly longer periods to repay. An order has been made that The Punch Bowl Inn must also be rebuilt and restored inside and out — through a separate planning process .