A possible rare good news pub story to start the emergence from dark times post-Coronavirus.

The northern west corner of Leyton in East London, which has been a barren pub desert since the start of many closures in 1995, could be seeing the rebirth of a much loved old boozer.

In November 2020 it was widely reported how this beautifully tiled 1879 former Taylor Walker pub was under threat from developers who ignored council enforcement to restore the ground floor to usage as a pub. Instead they had converted the old shell into an unrecognisable full dwelling and fought the council, implying that no one cares, with a laughable argument that the pub wasn’t sustainable.

The local community fought this by demonstrating how much the pub means to us. Along with the local authority, London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF) fighting the good fight the developers appeal to the Planning Inspectorate has now been denied.

The developer has six monthsfrom late January 2021 to restore everything, including the upstairs HMOs (house in multiple occupation), to how it was before. The whole claim that this was not a viable pub was laughable as the preservation group naturally had visibility of the developers case document. Dozens of other “pubs” that were either long closed, wine bars in Westfield Shopping Centre or hostelries miles away were listed as other pubs in the area and that it was well serviced and didn’t require another one nor was it sustainable. The fact that in the last 25 years the nearby Oliver Twist, Alma, Hollybush and The Lord Clyde had all disappeared also added further weight that this was not the case. The sheer volume of locals taking up the challenge to the developer also vehemently demonstrated that the community have a great deal of love and desire for the Antelope to live once again.

I watched in awe how Leyton residents dug in deep to make this become a reality. They’ve ensured their neighbourhood isn’t further blighted by developers who care nothing for how they’re robbing communities of vital public services. I’m very proud that people here care so much and I’m honoured to call this part of London my home.

Next steps? There is a long way to go. The hope is the developer will sell as there is no longer a development / HMO revenue opportunity. The team running the campaign have contacted the Plunkett Foundations regarding support and advice. The community have also been consulted about what sort of pub they’d like through a survey and how they can assist volunteering and contributing to a coop or share scheme. Long term the plan is to secure the freehold or at the least a long lease and once again return it to the community.

There is a long road ahead but this story further demonstrates that people power is going to be crucial to the long term survival of many residential area pubs. Co-ops will very likely be the way to go to keep these treasures alive and available to us all.