Plans submitted to turn Albion pub at Greengates into flats

The Albion Inn, on New Line Road, Greengates, closed in January and plans have now been submitted to Bradford Council to convert the building into four flats.

Plans have been submitted to turn The Albion Inn into flats (Image: Newsquest)

A design and access statement in the planning application explained the reasoning for the pub's closure.

It said: "Due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing energy crisis the business in its current form is no longer viable. The public house will be closing down in January 2023 as it is no longer able to generate income or cover the costs of its operation."

A spokesperson for The Albion Inn said: "We had to close because of Covid and spiralling costs brought on by the energy crisis.

The Albion Inn at Greengates closed in January (Image: Newsquest)

"We just closed temporarily at first but now we're just waiting for the plans to be agreed.

"Since Covid, people have changed their drinking habits. They're not going out as much.

"People got so used to staying in and not moving from their armchairs."

The spokesperson said she ran the pub for 16 years and explained it was difficult to make the decision to close.

She said: "It was an extremely hard decision to make and it is sad to see it go.

"At the end of the day, you have to make a decent standard of living for yourself.

"One thing I will always remember is the characters we've had in here.

"We've lost some of them as some have passed away.

"When you lose those characters it's difficult. Before Covid, some of them came out seven days a week."

She also explained The Albion Inn has quite a history.

"The building is around 200 years old and it was originally two cottages.

"They were converted into the pub and it's been a pub for well over 100 years.

"It's a back-to-front pub. The pub entrance used to be at the back because that was the road (Stockhill Road) that turned to Leeds. When New Line Road was built, the entrance was moved to that side.

"There's a lot of history to this pub but times change.

"So many pubs have gone. It's a shame, but you have to use it or lose it.

"You have to make a product that people want and diversify and do something else.

The plans call for the building to be converted into four flats, one two-bed and three one-bed flats.

She said: "One thing Bradford does need is affordable housing and that's what these plans will do."