One of Bolton’s most recognisable buildings could get a new lease of life as a pizza restaurant. The building, next to Ye Old Man and Scythe pub, at 12 Churchgate, was built in 1636, however the pub and associated buildings at the site are believed to date back to around 1251.
It is thought that for long periods of time 12 Churchgate was used as a butcher’s shop. A planning application lodged with Bolton Council in the past few days reveals plans to revive the vacant site, which is disused and ‘in a bad state of repair’ with ‘a large amount of rot and water damage’.
However, the building retains elements of its historic wattle and daub and timber frame construction. Applicant Allauoi Mouloud intends to bring the building back into use as a restaurant.
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A heritage, statement in support of the plans, said: “The proposal looks to reuse the building as a pizzeria restaurant. The scheme will retain the size and scale of the existing rooms and repair the building fabric.
“There is limited information on the specific building adjoining the pub apart from images where we can see a clear indication that it was a butcher’s shop. This would seem logical given Churchgate’s history and association with the market.
“It is thought that there has been a pub and associated building on this site since 1251 however it was rebuilt in 1636. It is thought that the cellars were retained but nothing of the building above ground, where the wattle and daub building was replaced by brick.
“A fire destroyed part of the pub in 1850 which needed to be rebuilt but it is assumed that the butchers was largely untouched due to the presence of wattle and daub internal walls and historic timber framing. It is thought that there has been little changes to the buildings since then. It is currently vacant and in a bad state of repair.
“The building changed ownership in 2021 and was found to have a large amount of rot and water damage.”
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The proposals would redecorate the front elevation an replace rotten timbers including in the roof and floor. The plans said they will largely be replaced in a material like-for-like with the front timber replaced with steel.
The statement conclusion said: “The proposal looks to renovate and repair the building and provide a viable future use. The scheme does not look to change the character of the building but enhance it by retaining the small spaces within the floor plan and exposing key historic features that have been hidden away with inappropriate modern finishes.
“The scheme will not negatively impact on the significance of the building.”
The plans will now be put before planners at the council for a decision.
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