After two years of nothing, historic pub The George faces demolition
Plus: Pay and display warning and the latest headlines across the town
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Hello and welcome to the sixth edition of The Southport Lead.
Today’s newsletter focuses on an historic building which dates back more than 150 years but has lay semi-demolished for the last two and will soon be lost forever.
The George Hotel was built at a time when Southport was rapidly expanding, its population having increased from 1,790 in the year 1801 to 15,947 in 1861. That last figure would be almost tripled by 1881 as the hotel’s construction came as the town faced pressure for improved infrastructure and more accommodation
Its closure in 2021 disappointed many who’d drank and celebrated there but in the years since, it has been ripped apart and left open to the elements.
The Co-op, which bought the building that year, was behind the original plan to convert it into one of its shops but now says it needs to knock it down and rebuild instead. So what’s gone on in that time and why the change of plan? Read on to find out exactly what’s happened.
Also in today’s newsletter edition is the scam targeting pay and display users and the latest headlines from across the town.
Demolition looms for The George
An historic pub which has sat part-demolished for almost two years will be knocked down to make way for shops and apartments.
The George Hotel had been a mainstay on Duke Street for more than 150 years until its closure in 2021. First opened as a hotel in 1866, a year after the neighbouring cemetery was consecrated to serve Southport rapidly rising popularity, the building was redesigned to bring the public bar downstairs in 1945.
Its final years saw a quick succession of landlords come and go as they struggled to keep a traditional pub viable as the industry hit hard times and the final pints were served there in 2021.
The Co-op bought the site in August 2021 and in the following year it unveiled plans to convert the building into one its convenience stores in proposals which see the modern extensions torn down, the historic parts restored and new areas added.
But in 2023, building work suddenly ground to a halt and it appeared as though the project had been abandoned. Now, the plans are back on the table but with the entire building to be demolished.
‘No alternative to demolition’
Little has previously been reported on the reason for the stalled works but The Southport Lead can now explain that the Co-op has laid the blame at the contractor which was hired to carry out the works.
Documents submitted with its latest planning application explain that Clement Dickens was hired to oversee the project after a “thorough tender process including extensive due diligence, full prequalification review” which was said to include assessing the 75-year-old firm's credibility in terms of finance, health & safety, competence, accreditations, experience, and previous work.
Work began in November 2022, by which time the firm had only completed the site clearance, partial demolition, and partial foundation. Four months later, Clement Dickens filed for administration.
According to the Co-op’s submission, the site was then under the control of administrator Leonard Curtis and a “protracted period” followed in which it regained possession of the site, conducted new surveys and sought another contractor.
It explained: “Specialist temporary works designers were appointed to design a propping solution to support the remaining structure. This was extremely complex due to the deterioration of the building, the required piled foundations and challenging ground conditions.
“Several options were investigated but it became apparent that the building was no longer safe to continue the conversion works.
“A project design team meeting was held (attendees: project manager, structural engineer, contractor, piling contractor, temporary works designer, architect and health and safety consultant) with the outcome being the project could not continue safely.
“Due to the unsafe nature of continuing with the current permission, we unfortunately have no alternative but to submit a planning application to demolish the existing structure and replace it with a new building.”
‘A great shame’
Southport historian David Walshe, who created the Secret Sand Land blog and has published two books and gives regular talks on the town’s history, is among those who will be sad to see the building lost forever.
He told The Southport Lead: “The George will unfortunately be the latest former pub to join a growing list that we have lost including; The Shakespeare Hotel, The Blundell Arms and The London Hotel, all of which were built during the 1860s.
“There is evidence within the local press to show that the pub was actually open within the first half of 1865, suggesting that construction commenced during late 1864, despite it not featuring in the Mannex directory of 1866, which was surveyed in 1865.
“Back then, the former hotel was quite isolated in what was then known as the emerging 'Ecclesfield' district, with the ancient Snuttering Lane still passing behind the pub until the 1870s.
“Therefore, the building is actually older than all of the houses in the immediate vicinity. It is a great shame that the Co-op aren't carrying out their original intentions, which were to incorporate this 160 year old building in their plans, instead now opting to demolish this local landmark, meaning that another part of our town's history is lost forever.”
Among the records mentioned in a historic building survey submitted with the application are adverts from the late 19th century in the George Hotel advertised “dinners and teas provided on reasonable terms”. The change in the town since then can be seen through the description which states the hotel was “a ten minute walk from St Luke’s Station and two minute walk to the Birkdale tram cars crossing Duke Street”.
The new plans
If planning permission is granted, the pub will be torn down and replaced with a new structure on the same footprint. The Co-op convenience store will occupy most of the ground floor and include a bakery, though the retailer explains this is “not a full bakery process, but simply an oven warming process”.
As well as the convenience store, there will be a second, smaller unit adjoining, though it is not yet clear which business will occupy this.
There will also be four apartments created on the first floor while the car park will have 28 spaces to be shared among residents, shoppers and staff.
Once complete, the overall change will be reminiscent of the former New Fleetwood in Banks. That was another pub which saw a succession of changing landlords in its final years before being razed to make way for a store.
Neville Grundy, CAMRA’s Southport and West Lancashire spokesperson, has often spoken about the problems facing traditional venues such as these, citing the high cost pressures and choice restrictions on tenants from large pub companies; the high value of property making conversions or rebuilds more tempting; and high business rates.
Writing on the issue previously, he disputed the theory that the main issue is changing habits turning people away from pubs.
He said: “The success of micropubs show that drinkers are not choosing the stay at home and do like to meet friends socially in a comfortable environment, but the overheads of such businesses, based as they usually are in former shops, are considerably less than traditional pubs occupying large buildings with all the extra costs involved.”
Ultimately, like many others across the country the George has seen its final drinks poured and its long history will soon be lost to a demolition crew.
While the Co-op’s first target opening dates of 2022 and 2024 have passed, the company insists it is committed to the development. In December, it secured the alcohol licence for the new store and this week new reports necessary for securing the planning permission were submitted to Sefton Council.
In its application, it states: “Central Co-op remain committed to the development of the site. The safety of our contractors and long-term future for the site is paramount.
“Circumstances beyond our control have led to the proposed redesign and this has all come at significant additional cost and loss of time.”
The Co-op was approached for further comment.
Scammers targeting pay and display users
Residents are visitors are being warned not to be caught out by a scam involving fake QR codes on pay and display machines.
The nasty trick has become increasingly common as more car parks offer online payment options, with fraudsters sticking fake QR codes onto machines in a bid to trick people into handing over their financial details.
This often happens where QR codes are provided as a way for people to quickly access the payment site, with the scammers covering the genuine codes with their own fake ones. Here however, Sefton does not use QR codes on its machines.
A council spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of fake QR codes on Pay & Display machines across the borough.
“Our Highways Team have been around the borough removing the fake QR codes, so far they have been removed from 20 machines in Southport and 2 machines in Crosby.
“Please be cautious when paying for your parking and do not scan any QR codes on the machines. We do NOT use QR codes for payments.”
News in headlines
People invited to take up Covid-19 vaccination offer before seasonal programme closes (Stand Up For Southport)
Therapy dog helping Southport attack's first responders (Liverpool Echo)
New build nursery to be created in Marshside after proposed demolition of St Patrick’s Social Club (Stand Up For Southport)
'I saw windows I'd smashed in Southport riots, the guilt was so bad,' child says (Mirror)
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Jamie, Andrew & The Southport Lead team