Punch Bowl Inn: Council 'determined' demolished pub will be rebuilt

A council leader has said he is disappointed the owners of a listed 18th Century pub that was illegally demolished have failed to rebuild it.

The Punch Bowl Inn in Hurst Green, Lancashire, was bulldozed by Donelan Trading Ltd after the group ignored a council decision in June 2021.

A deadline for the owners to rebuild it to its original plan has now passed.

Councillor Stephen Atkinson said Ribble Valley Council is "determined" it will be rebuilt "as soon as possible".

Five people were fined over £20,000 last year for their role in knocking down the Grade II-listed building.

The owners were ordered to rebuild it by 3 March to its original plan based on architectural records.

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."

The Punch Bowl Inn owners and contractor Percliff were ordered to pay a range of fines and costs at Blackburn Magistrates Court by district judge Alexander Boyd, who said the company was aware the demolition of the building was a criminal offence when it took place.

The three owners told the court they were worried the building had become unsafe and believed it had got worse over the years and had been broken into and targeted by arsonists.

The court heard Donelan Trading had submitted various plans to the council before 2021 signifying an intention to give the site a new lease of life.

While a holiday lodge park was approved with conditions, various other applications were refused.

The owners said they were "happy to re-build the former building" but "it would be impossible to actually rebuild the building exactly on its original site" as its proximity to the road could be dangerous.

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