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Community Fights to Save Iconic Pub
29 Apr
Summary
- Campaigners fight to save a historic Yorkshire pub.
- Residents raised £100,000 but missed the £650,000 asking price.
- Owners applied to convert the pub into multiple homes.
Campaigners are engaged in a last-ditch effort to preserve The Dickie Bird pub in Thwaites Brow, near Keighley, which is named in honor of the late cricket umpire Dickie Bird. The pub, designated an Asset of Community Value, faces potential conversion into homes after its owners applied for a change of use. Local residents demonstrated their commitment by raising £100,000 for a community bid, though this was significantly less than the £650,000 asking price.
Despite objections from 334 people, planning officers have recommended approval for the conversion, citing the pub's prolonged period on the market without serious offers and a significant fall in trade. The report suggests that the decline in trade is partly due to a neighboring cricket club gaining a license to serve alcohol, impacting the pub's viability amid changing social drinking patterns. The owners previously had a larger development scheme rejected.
The potential closure highlights broader challenges facing pubs across Yorkshire and the UK, with a consistent decline in the number of public houses recorded since 2000. Many such establishments are now only viable for conversion or demolition. The decision on The Dickie Bird's future is expected imminently from Bradford Council's planning panel.
