THERE is a growing sense of frustration in Alcester that work to restore an historic town centre pub has still not started more than three years since it was catastrophically damaged by fire.
The Grade II listed Three Tuns on the High Street has been left a ‘blot on the landscape’ and surrounded by scaffolding after the fire in April 2021 left the building a gutted wreck.
The long-running saga has seen the 17th Century property the subject of a live enforcement case by Stratford District Council (SDC) since October 2021 but has seen little real progress apart from a temporary plastic roof installed to protect the exposed interior from the elements.
Following a formal application for listed building consent received by SDC last August, planning permission for the restoration was granted to the building’s Birmingham-based owner, Akaal Singh Sidhu on December 7, 2023.
A significant condition of the permission was that repair works, including an archaeological building record, should be commenced within nine months of the decision. This date expired on Saturday September 7.
Ward member for Alcester East, Coun Susan Juned, said: “The owner and agent of this site must start serious work on this derelict site and not delay any further the work required to bring the building back into proper use.
“The state of the building is affecting the amenity of the town, affecting neighbouring businesses and is an eyesore that needs remedying. We look forward to seeing work begin.”
She told the Observer she and other residents would be checking the site to see if work had begun and would notify SDC of their findings.
Talbot Cottage, a semi-detached property adjoined to the rear of the pub was also badly damaged in the fire.
A representative acting for the owners told the Observer they had received an email in May from a firm of building surveyors – Bedfords Surveyors – to say that had now got tenders for the repairs and were discussing them with the owner and insurers.
They were under the impression a site meeting to discuss a joint strategy to tackle the repairs would be forthcoming during the summer but had heard nothing since.
The individual who asked not to be named said: “We are very disappointed that we have not yet been invited to a site meeting to discuss the renovation of the common roof to Talbot Cottage.
“We hope that this meeting will take place very shortly.”
The Observer has approached Bedfords Surveyors for confirmation work had started but it declined to give a comment.
When approached for a statement, an SDC spokesperson also declined to provide a statement and said this was due to the Three Tuns still being a live enforcement case.
Proprietor of Orangemabel tearooms, Jayne Roberts, also added to the growing voices of disquiet.
She said: “We have had a busy summer in the High Street with lots of out-of-town and overseas visitors.
“These are people who choose to come to Alcester because of the lovely Tudor and Georgian buildings.
“For another summer to have come and gone, it’s just so detrimental to the hard work businesses put into making the destination the beauty spot it is.
“The Three Tuns is a blot on the landscape. We feel forgotten and let down by the lack of enforcement on this once busy hub.
“Someone, somewhere needs to take responsibility.”
