Former Netherton pub closed down after machete attack set for demolition in supermarket plans
An arson hit eyesore pub that was ordered to shut down due to "spiralling” violence is set to be demolished in favour of a supermarket.
The Crown Pub in Netherton was closed down in 2018 after a machete attack left one person with a serious head wound.
More recently the building was subject to an arson attack in early 2021 and now stands vacant, overgrown and in a crumbling state.
But now plans have been lodged to revitalise the site with a OneStop Supermarket set to take its place.
Neighbours say they welcome the plans as the “eyesore” pub has been a hotbed of crime and anti-social behaviour ever since it was abandoned, but have called on developers to change the proposed entrance to the site.
In a consultation with the developer, Q + A Planning LTD, One neighbour said: “Firstly, I think it’s great that the site has been acquired and will be developed. The former pub site has been an eyesore and a definite blot on the landscape for a number of years.
“However, residents cars are parked on Halton street as we have no drives, and I personally have had my vehicle hit several times by people coming on and off the carpark. Surely it makes more sense to move the entrance to the main road as the road is also used by parents of the school children opposite which makes the road extremely busy twice a day.”
Developers have estimated that the supermarket will bring in an estimated £2.02m per year. They also claim that it will bring many benefits to the surrounding area.
In a design and access statement, Q + A Planning LTD said: “In the years since its closure, the pub experienced a period of decline, beginning around February 2018, during which it became a hotbed of crime and anti-social behaviour.
“In February 2021, the pub suffered an arson attack which caused significant fire damage. This, coupled with repeated vandalism and general deterioration, has left the building uninhabitable in its current state.
“It is clear, therefore, that any future redevelopment of the application site cannot retain the public house building and use. The benefits of this development are many, including the high-quality redevelopment of a derelict, brownfield site which, in its current state, attracts crime and anti-social behaviour.
“It will also provide new retail/service facilities to serve local residents, providing ‘top-up’ shopping facilities for the community and the enhancement of local consumer choice resulting from the introduction of a new food store and non-food commercial uses, helping to ensure that expenditure is retained within the area.
