The pub in 2008

The Alchemist is a former pub at 225 St John's Hill, Battersea, London, that was controversially demolished in May 2015 after over 100 years in business.[1]

It was originally called The Fishmongers' Arms,[1] and was built in 1854.[2]

Planning permission was granted in 2011 for 6 flats above existing pub. The pub closed in 2013, when construction started in 2015 the existing structure was found unsafe and demolished with the intention to rebuild a facsimile which is what stands today.Wandsworth Council regarded the demolition having taken place without planning permission to demolish, and called it a "very serious breach" of council rules, and "unjustified".[1] The council ordered developer Udhyam Amim to rebuild the pub and restore it to its appearance prior to demolition, albeit that this was the stated intention. [3]

The demolition was compared to that of the Carlton Tavern in Kilburn, north London, which was demolished in April the same year.[1] The Carlton Tavern was subsequently rebuilt and re-opened following a community campaign and planning appeals.[4]

In July 2018 the building was restored and the commercial ground floor provides community nursery facilities.[5] In October that year its owners applied for planning permission to make the building into a shop, office or food establishment, but planners rejected the application, ruling that the change of use would "result in the loss of a public house of historic and community value".[6] This rejection was later appealed and the building's classification was changed to D2, "assembly and leisure".[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Watts, Matt (9 July 2015). "Developer 'must rebuild demolished Alchemist pub' in Battersea". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "St John's Hill Area" (PDF). English Heritage. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Developer ordered to rebuild Battersea pub submits new housing plan". 24 June 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  4. ↑ "Rising from the rubble: London pub rebuilt brick by brick after illegal bulldozing". The Guardian. 21 March 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  5. ↑ "Demolished Battersea Pub Restored". Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  6. ↑ Mehta, Amar (17 December 2018). "Wandsworth Council continue to support local pubs". Wandsworth Times. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  7. ↑ "Rebuilt historical pub to change use". Retrieved 3 December 2021.

51°27′34″N 0°10′46″W / 51.45958°N 0.17934°W / 51.45958; -0.17934

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