Air Balloon Pub demolished for A417 road scheme

An historic pub has been demolished to make way for a £460m road improvement scheme.

The Air Balloon pub had stood on the A417 at Birdlip for more than 220 years but closed in December 2022.

After being empty for almost a year, the pub has now been flattened as part of the A417 improvement scheme.

A three-mile dual carriageway will be built to bypass the Air Balloon roundabout and combat congestion and reduce collisions in the area.

The A417 is one of the busiest roads in the country, carrying around 40,000 cars a day and the spot where the pub sits has become known as an accident blackspot.

It is hoped the new road between Cheltenham and Swindon will reduce traffic congestion at the single-carriageway bottleneck stretch past Birdlip.

National Highways say the work will improve journey times for people using the A417 around Brockworth and Cowley, as well as links with the M4 and M5.

Many motorists and former customers have taken to social media to express their regret at the Air Balloon's demolition.

"I think its disgraceful that this lovely iconic old building is being demolished," said one Facebook user.

"Aside from the loss of this historic landmark, the devastation to this once scenic location is an outrage."

Another commenter wrote in favour of the roadworks, saying: "We have to move with the times. It's pretty awful trying to get through and past the pub, and it's been like it for years."

The pub, originally called The Balloon, received its name due to the nearby Birdlip village and Crickley Hill being popular launch sites when hot air ballooning was first popularised in England in the 1780s.

As well as the dual carriageway, a number of 'green bridges' will also be built to boost wildlife in the area.

The new road is expected to be completed and open by 2027.

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