PLANS have been submitted to turn a pub closed for more than 10 years into a maximum of nine homes.
An application to transform the ‘eyesore’ Crown & Thistle pub in Old Road, Headington, has been put forward to Oxford City Council.
There was an operating pub at the site for 400 years until former owner Greene King decided to close it.
The brewer didn’t renew its licence after deeming the Crown & Thistle ‘unviable’, with the pub taking last orders on New Year’s Eve in 2011.
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Now, the an application has been submitted for permission in principle to redevelop the former pub into ‘between five and nine dwellings’.
A cover letter written as part of the application states: “The building is not listed and there are no listed buildings near the site.
“The building is not listed, nor nominated, as an Asset of Community Value.
“The building/site is considered to be surplus to the needs of the community and has been for a significant period of time.
“Given the number of years since the building has been used in any form, the existing building is in a state of disrepair and is becoming an eyesore.
“It is reasonable to conclude that, due to the length of time the use has ceased, that the site no longer serves its purpose as a ‘community facility’.
“It is quite clear that the building has deteriorated and has become attractive for anti-social behaviour.”
An expert witness report, written to consider the economic viability of the pub, says: “Due to the long period of closure, I consider it very difficult to assess the potential trade levels and resulting profitability.
“Significant investment is required in the fabric of the building and refurbishment of the trading areas.
“I believe the level of cost and risk involved is at a level which would deter any operator from pursing the Crown & Thistle as a realistic opportunity.”
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The present building dates back to the 1800s, but before that the site at the corner of Old Road and Titup Hall Drive was home to a coaching inn for about 200 years.
Called Titup Hall, the inn was on the only route from Oxford to London and was the departure point for the first coach to reach the capital in a day from the city in 1669.
The application can be viewed on the city council’s planning portal, using the reference number 22/00040/PIP.
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