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Protecting the pubs: historic British pubs win government protection

noImage Rose Hill

black horse public house birmingham

Positive news in the pub sector has become a rare occurrence – but today’s news regarding Historic England’s listing of inter-war pubs for protection will see some drinking in the profits.

In a campaign to preserve Britain’s age-old pub trade, 21 pubs built during the First and Second World Wars are now being protected by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Historic England, formerly part of English Heritage, is currently undergoing a project which aims ‘to understand and protect some of England’s best pubs built between 1918 and 1939’.

Inter-war pubs listed at Grade II are considered ‘much loved landmarks’ by Historic England. According to the non-departmental public body, there was a definitive shift during this period, away from the image of drunken men in Victorian and Edwardian pubs to roomier, more community-driven ones that would appeal to families, particularly women.

Despite the fact that 3,000 pubs were built during this time, very few remain today.

‘These inter-war pubs are more than a slice of living history, they play an intrinsic role in English culture and our local communities’, Heritage Minister Tracey Crouch said. ‘I'm delighted that these pubs and their fascinating history have been protected for generations to enjoy for years to come.’

Optimistic outlook for pubs

The pub industry has struggled for a while through supermarket competition, changes in drinking habits and the smoking ban, with potential future issues such as the rise in minimum wage to the living wage. However there is a sense of optimism in the sector, and not simply due to Historic England’s new listings.

Paul Moody, co-writer of The Search for the Perfect Pub, told the telegraph: ‘Pubs are now places where far more young people want to go and enjoy the experience.

‘A new generation are drinking local beers and ales. The irony is that the greatest movement to preserve these lovely old pubs has come from drinkers themselves, who have helped a whole raft of pubs be refurbished and find a new life. The pub will never die.’

Furthermore, pub closures have slowed from 52 to 13 a week, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.

This sense of revived pride in British pubs also follows the illegal demolition of 94 year old Carlton Tavern, Maida Vale, in May. Developers were later told that they had to rebuild the pub brick-by-brick after a law change aimed at protecting threatened British pubs.

Emily Gee, Head of Listing at Historic England, said of the inter-war pub protection project:

‘This national project, the first of its kind, has surveyed the increasingly threatened and much loved inter-war public house, allowing us to identify, understand and protect the most special examples.

‘And what better way to champion the best of our locals than by raising a pint glass to these architectural beacons of English community life now celebrated on the National Heritage List.’


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About The Author

Rose Hill is an in-house journalist and writes for all titles in the Dynamis stable including BusinessesForSale.com, FranchiseSales.com and PropertySales.com as well as other industry publications.

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