Illegally demolished Grade II listed pub to be rebuilt ‘as soon as possible’

A historic pub which was illegally demolished by a group of property developers will be rebuilt ‘as soon as possible’, a councillor says.

The Punch Bowl Inn, in Hurst Green, Lancashire was bulldozed by Donelan Trading Ltd after the group previously said they ‘grew tired’ of waiting for permission.

Donelan Trading ignored a council decision in June 2021 and went ahead and knocked it down.

Councillor Stephen Atkinson has said he is ‘determined’ the historic landmark will be rebuilt ‘as soon as possible’.

Five people were fined over £20,000 last year for their part in demolishing the historic landmark.

Owners were ordered to rebuild it by March 3rd to its original plan based on architectural records. But the deadline has now passed and the pub has not been rebuilt.

Mr Atkinson said: “The fact is it’s a listed building, it needs to be put back as it was.

“Listed building owners enjoy many privileges including not paying business rates on empty properties. They have an obligation to maintain that property and they know what the property was when they bought it.

“The council are determined to get this building back, as soon as possible, to the correct standard.”

Owners of the Punch Bowl Inn and contractor Percliff were made to pay a range of fines handed to them at Blackburn Magistrates Court by district judge Alexander Boyd.

He said the company was aware the demolition of the building was a criminal offence when it took place.

Owners told the court they were concerned the building had fallen into disrepair and had become unsafe as it deteriorated over the years. They said it had been targeted by arsonists since it closed in 2012, and when they bought the site in 2015.

The court also heard plans had been submitted to the council before 2021 signifying the intent to give the site a new lease of life. But while a holiday park was approved with conditions, other applications were refused.

Owners had said they were happy to rebuild the structure but that ‘it would be impossible to actually rebuild the building exactly on its original site’ as its proximity to the road could be dangerous.

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.

Turpin was executed for stealing horses in 1739 at York, and King was executed in 1741 – his ghost was said to haunt the pub.