This is vandalism!– Graffiti on what remains of the Carlton Tavern
Westminster council is to order a developer to rebuild a grade II-listed public house "brick by brick" after it was demolished without permission.
The Carlton Tavern in Kilburn, north London, was built in 1921 and had been in business for 94 years.
Before it was knocked down, Historic England said it was "remarkably well-preserved, externally and internally", and it was awaiting the granting of grade II heritage status.
In January the council threw out a planning application by Tel Aviv-based developer CLTX to demolish the pub and build a block of flats and a new pub in its place.Â
On the day of the demolition, pub staff were told to leave the premises to allow an "inventory" to take place. When they returned, they found that bulldozers had reduced their workplace to rubble.Â
Councillor Robert Davis, deputy leader of Westminster council, said: "The actions of the owner border on the scandalous and the book should be thrown at them."
CLTX is appealing the decision.Â
Images via Westminster Council
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That is fantastic news, and about time too. I well remember the Firestone Building on the A4 in Brentford suffering the same fate, demolished overnight, and was dismayed that they were also not made to re-build it exactly as it had been.
Same old story, the company will go bust, and we’re left with the mess, until people tire of site (Blight). I am looking forward to see if the “Westminster council” follow this through, although I have my doubts.
The developer should be stopped from redeveloping the site because they blatantly ignored the law. They should restore the pub and its contents exactly as demanded by the council, or if they fail to do so, the building should be restored by the council at the developer´s cost.
They really should ‘throw the book at them’. Too many people try this trick, thinking that Councils are unlikely to do anything once a demolition has happened. Good for you Westminster Council!
I do not agree with the actions of the developer, but we list to many buildings, normally as the result of pressure from individules.
If the State wishes to list a building it should pay, for some part of its maintenance.
If we include inner city conservation areas approx 4% of all buildings are listed that’s is to many for the state to fund. Unless it’s grade one there is effectivily no support from the State.
In this case, until it was to be demolished, it was not thought worthy of listings WHY?
I fully support Westminster council in their actions but I believe they are wasting their time. I will be astonished if the Council go through with this, as they will face external pressure from Central Government who will over rule them.
Some fancy lawyer will no doubt find a loophole in the application and within a couple of years a nice block of unaffordable flats will be built for a bunch of foreigners to buy as a bolthole if the Middle East or Russia implodes.
Putting aside the listed building nature of these discussions, anyone who saw the footage on the BBC or other sites of the demolition cannot but be appalled by the blatant disregard for the health and safety of the public by the developer and his subcontractor. The HSE should throw the book at anyone involved in what happened and prosecute them to the full extent of the law.