Plan to demolish Ring O’ Bells Pub at Stretton

PLANS have been submitted to demolish the former Ring O’ Bells pub at Stretton, Warrington, which dates from the early 1800s and replace it with a new retail building.

The application has been submitted by Thwaites for the redundant building on Northwich Road, Stretton, and involves demolishing the existing premises and replacing it with a building of similar size towards the rear of the site, with parking as required.

The Ring O’ Bells public house was originally built in the early 1800s and was a building across Northwich Road from the existing at that time, called The Crown Inn.
At the time the present site of the public house was probably a barn, used for stabling horses.
Later in the century, the public house moved across Northwich Road and became called the Ring O’ Bells, and the original public house building became a house.
The Ring O’ Bells public house building is right on the road and is spread out along the road in two storeys, with an entrance on the front, now not used. There is a more modern extension for stores and toilets to the south end. The building has now become sited well down from the road due to successive road improvements and is consequently damp.
At the rear there a various outbuildings for other uses and for storage and behind that up a slight change of level, there is a large car park with direct access from Northwich Road. The car park is big enough to park approx. twenty cars. There is very little landscaping between the car park and the surrounding fields.
There are a limited number of houses in Lower Stretton and the pub may once, before the advent of modern cars have been a focus for the community. Nowadays though, there are many other
public houses within reach, and the Ring O’ Bells became less popular.
In 2023 planning permission was granted on the existing building to change of use to class E (a), (b), (c) and (g)(i). This application is to replace what was the former Ring O’ Bells public house with a new building at the rear of the existing car park.
This application retains that use of Class E (a), (b), (c) and (g)(i) so therefor,e there is no change of use required.
It is now proposed to demolish the former public house building because the building fabric itself would be very hard and costly to renovate, and there is serious damp and also dry rot.
The plan and positioning of the building is also out of date, the building being far too near the road, with current regulations you would now not be able to build a building such as the existing this close to a highway.
It is proposed to construct a building at the back of the site with car parking in front of it, giving the village much more of an open effect and allowing the road to feel wider, with the existing building demolished. This will also create safer access and visibility splays when entering or exiting the site.
The building will be used as one of the class uses. Class E (a), (b), (c) and (g)(i). This could be by way of a shop, café, restaurant, offices.
It is hoped that this will also be a centre for the local community, as the Ring o’ Bells was originally and as the council wished the existing site to remain in some form of community
usage. Serving all age groups, especially local residents, including the elderly without transport, it could be a place where the local community come together, which is why the new building
would provide longevity.
The proposed building will be similar to a modern barn, shop, cafes, offices etc, and match with similar buildings in the local area, this will be of steel-framed portal construction, with brick and extensive glazing and doors to the front and brick and cladding to the sides and rear. We believe this building will fit into the local area very well.

The applicants state that a small survey of local residents has been undertaken and the majority were not too worried about the Ring o Bells building being demolished, since it hadn’t been open for a while, they had already found other places to eat and drink.
Local residents were generally quite keen to have local and accessible amenities, and noted it would or could create employment in the local area.
It was noted that some residents and some of the initial ideas were to install housing on the area, however, following conversations with the council prior to this application, this would not
be acceptable as the council wished the existing site to remain in some form of community usage.
Planners will make a decision under delegated powers.