Plan to turn historic Bradford pub into office space is withdrawn

An application to convert the ground floor of the Grade II listed New Beehive Inn on Westgate was submitted by new owner Sakhawat Hussain last month.

The plans were revealed just weeks after the pub, which dates back to 1901, was awarded Listed status by Historic England – which described it as a “rare survival” of a pub from that era.

The conversion plan had been criticised by the Campaign for Real Ale – which argued would lead to the loss of “one of the country's very best historic pub interiors.”

CAMRA claimed that, in the right hands, the Beehive could become a successful pub again.

Similar concerns have since been echoed by Bradford Council’s Conservation Officer, who said the pub’s fine interior warranted protecting.

The New Beehive

Jon Ackroyd also pointed out that many other historically significant pubs in the city had been lost to conversion or demolition, and “compelling justification” would be needed to allow another to be lost.

No reason has been given for the plans being withdrawn, but the developer made the decision just days after Mr Ackroyd lodged his concern over the application.

Features that he claimed would be harmed or lost through the conversion to an office include the tap room bar, a traditional terrazzo floor and even the pub’s urinal.

In his response to the application, he says: “The survival of a substantially intact traditional pub layout with extensive panelling, decoration and historic features is now sufficiently scarce nationally for the pub to merit an entry on the National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors, and to merit formal designation as a statutorily protected building.

“The building has been continuously used as a public house since its construction, and although some aspects of its internal character, such as the gas lighting result from more recent restorations, it has considerable significance.

“The submitted plan does not properly identify the significance of the heritage asset or provide any justification for why a change of use is regarded as necessary.

“The pub heritage of Bradford is much reduced, with other listed pubs already having succumbed to alternative uses. This is the only surviving pub in the city with an interior of historic note.

“Compelling justification would be expected to make a case as to why the original use could not be continued and a change of use is sought. As no such justification is presented.”