The Beaver pub in Watford demolished for new homes (From Watford Observer)
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The Beaver pub in Watford demolished for new homes
11:40am Thursday 18th March 2010 in
Demolition experts have called time on a Watford pub as plans are prepared to build up to six new family homes on the site.
Only half of what was the Beaver pub, on the corner of Courtlands Drive and Gammons Lane, still stands this morning after bulldozers from Wenman Demolition moved onto the site on Tuesday.
The remains of the house are expected to be flattened by tomorrow, before work continues next week to dig out the former beer cellar and remove the tarmac.
The prominent pub sign, however, which features a picture of a beaver, will be left standing, together with some trees on the pub boundary.
Planning permission is not required to demolish the building, but Clearview Homes, who recently acquired the land, must submit an application before moving ahead with plans for a new development.
A representative from the company, which is based in Northwood Hills, said it was their intention to submit plans for between five and six, three or four-bedroom semi-detached family homes as soon as possible.
He said: “It's going to cater for the needs of the local area. It's not going to be a high density scheme. That's not what the local area really desires.
“We're trying to keep the same flow up that drive [Courtlands Drive]. We're not looking to put flats in there but it's very early days.
“Our intention is to put in quality family homes. We would like to do it as soon as possible.”
That the site will not be transformed into a block of flats was welcome news for Councillor Steve Johnson, who represents Callowland ward.
He said: "If it couldn't remain as a pub, there were discussions as a restaurant. But obviously the developers bought it and the great news is that it's not going to be a great big block of flats.
"We should commend the developer and say well done for not imposing flats on us. It's a step in the right direction and maybe now local influence is starting to affect developers.
"They are starting to realise residents have had enough and flats should only be built in central Watford. We desperately need more family homes. It's a positive move by the developer."
Comments(16)
Woodside
says...
1:21pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Rob Ridley
says...
6:59pm Thu 18 Mar 10
onal level in a pub and talking to real people! It most probably wouldn't cost them a penny, but then again, expenses!!!!!!
Nascot
says...
10:06am Fri 19 Mar 10
IanFBram
says...
11:40am Fri 19 Mar 10
crazyfrog wrote:Clearly, not enough people socialising at that pub. If there were, then the pub would be profitable and the brewery would not have wanted to sell the land. Not sure what we could expect the council to do in a case like this.
There goes another pub whilst Watford Council sits idley by doing nothing about it, how many more pubs will dissapear before leaving central watford as the only socialising place? what a bloody joke
They could take the pub over, run it at a loss and compensate for the losses by using council tax money to keep it going.
I don't think the tax payers would like that idea at all.
Stacy Hart
says...
12:12pm Fri 19 Mar 10
IanFBram wrote:Unfortunately it was down to the greedy negligent brewery scottish and newcastle who failed our pub and the community not the other way round. The brewery left choosing of managers down to an agency who hadn't a clue about the type of pub it was or the area, time and time again myself and and other regulars spoke to S&N about it needing to be a family base community pub like it used to be, and while S&N made all the right noises and nodded in the right places they still left it up to the agency and sat back and did nothing, and the agency have for at least the last decade stuck in criminal after criminal, literally. If you stick in a criminal manager its going to attract criminal clientelle. Alot of the long serving decent regulars became so disheartened and sickened by S&Ns behaviour & negligence that they found other more efficiently run pubs to drink at, the Beaver ran properly could've been a little goldmine, even with the recession, Because there was a community that wanted to drink there but that S&N didn;'t give a stuff about. Unlike other breweries where you pay an upfront bond,they have no consequences for their shoddy managers, so they can just walk out whenever they choose and alot of them did, taking the pub takings, customers football money, funeral funds the lot with them. All the people that used to drink at the beaver in its packed filled days were still drinking, they'd just gone elsewhere. But there were still the faithful right to the end and after nearly 50yrs of still drinking there, the brewery gave no warning of the closure, there was only ever rumour, my emails went unanswered, a gentleman that rang just two days before the closure and start of demolition was told nothing had been decided and no money had changed hands yet, which was obviously a blatant lie. They also denied the regulars one last get together which they knew was planned for friday evening, by closing friday afternoon without warning.If S &N had given a **** it would've been a profitable pub without a doubt but as per usual they were happy for it to go into decline so they could do what they've done all along, take no responsibility, bleat about profit loss and then sell out to developers to line their big fat greedy butts. So as i started, it was the brewery that failed the community NOT the other way round. :) xxx
crazyfrog wrote: There goes another pub whilst Watford Council sits idley by doing nothing about it, how many more pubs will dissapear before leaving central watford as the only socialising place? what a bloody jokeClearly, not enough people socialising at that pub. If there were, then the pub would be profitable and the brewery would not have wanted to sell the land. Not sure what we could expect the council to do in a case like this. They could take the pub over, run it at a loss and compensate for the losses by using council tax money to keep it going. I don't think the tax payers would like that idea at all.
Tudor247
says...
2:56pm Fri 19 Mar 10
crazyfrog
says...
8:54am Sat 20 Mar 10
crazyfrog
says...
9:00am Sat 20 Mar 10
IanFBram
says...
11:17am Sat 20 Mar 10
Overpriced soft drinks don't encourage drivers with a group of friends to bother going out at all.
It looks as though the breweries are killing their own businesses........bu
t they still profit from increased sales through supermarkets and off -licences.
What the breweries have done it kill off the social aspect of drinking in local communities.
Tudor247
says...
12:55pm Sat 20 Mar 10
IanFBram wrote:Another valid summary Ian, however what to do is a more tricky question. I'm uncertain as to whether the macro pubcos care anymore provided there is enough bars selling fizzy beers and shots to the young to keep the shareholders content. The social worth of community pubs has a low value it appears.
I have to agree with you Stacy. Over inflated increases in charges by the breweries have forced out good managers and landlords. Over inflated prices for drinks force out customers. Overpriced soft drinks don't encourage drivers with a group of friends to bother going out at all. It looks as though the breweries are killing their own businesses........bu t they still profit from increased sales through supermarkets and off -licences. What the breweries have done it kill off the social aspect of drinking in local communities.
IanFBram
says...
7:25pm Sat 20 Mar 10
Tudor247 wrote:Well Tudor, I fear I shall just have to wait until I'm really old and settle for tea and a bun once a week at the local Darby and Joan for my social contact.
IanFBram wrote:Another valid summary Ian, however what to do is a more tricky question. I'm uncertain as to whether the macro pubcos care anymore provided there is enough bars selling fizzy beers and shots to the young to keep the shareholders content. The social worth of community pubs has a low value it appears.
I have to agree with you Stacy. Over inflated increases in charges by the breweries have forced out good managers and landlords. Over inflated prices for drinks force out customers. Overpriced soft drinks don't encourage drivers with a group of friends to bother going out at all. It looks as though the breweries are killing their own businesses........bu t they still profit from increased sales through supermarkets and off -licences. What the breweries have done it kill off the social aspect of drinking in local communities.
Tudor247
says...
7:30pm Sat 20 Mar 10
Rob Ridley
says...
6:28pm Sun 21 Mar 10
jesus loves you
says...
12:31pm Wed 24 Mar 10
edwardnigma
says...
12:36pm Thu 1 Apr 10
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Demolition work at the Beaver pub in Watford is set to be completed tomorrow.
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crazyfrog says...
12:58pm Thu 18 Mar 10