The demolition of a 'safety risk' derelict pub on the site of an old Nottinghamshire railway station has been rejected. The Pullman Inn, situated in Station Road, Widmerpool, was planned to be knocked down but Rushcliffe Borough Council has now asked for a further application to be submitted.
Network Rail, which applied for the demolition, had previously argued the old pub had become a target for trespass and antisocial behaviour, presenting a safety risk to the adjacent Network Rail test railway. The building is located in open countryside to the south of Station Road, next to the Network Rail test track.
It comprises a former railway station and a collection of two-storey and single-storey additions, and after being vacant for a number of years is now "in a considerable state of dereliction", according to the council. Councillor Rob Inglis, who represents the Keyworth and Wolds on Rushcliffe Borough Council, said it would be a "shame" to demolish what he said had been a very popular pub.
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But Mr Inglis accepted that because of its remoteness it probably has been a target of antisocial behaviour ."It was a very popular pub in the 1970s," Mr Inglis said. "A lot of bikers met there, it was a big meeting place for that community.
"It's shame that it might be demolished in the future still, a lot of pubs are going all across the country, but it is derelict. It was somewhere I used to visit in the late 70s and like I said it was very popular.
"It had quite a few changes in its history, it had a lot of restaurants set up trying to find a viable way to keep it open. But it closed a few years ago now.
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"It has been fenced off now but I was not aware of any antisocial behaviour. It will be a target for opportunists, as the railway track has been for thieves in the past, because it is remote and out of the way."
The pub, originally called the Schooler Inn, was opened in 1966 at Widmerpool Station, which closed to passengers in 1949. According to WhatPub, the Campaign for Real Ale's online pub guide, the decor "retained a railway theme with a dedicated dining area even laid out to look like classical on-board first class dining".
Planning permission was granted in 2014 for a change of use of the public house to a single residential unit. However, the change of use was not implemented. The prior notification for demolition application was rejected by Rushcliffe Borough Council on March 22. As to the previous use of the site remains as a public house the council have stated that a full planning application is required.
