Car park storage plans announced for historic pub

A former pub dating back to the late 18th century could be turned into a storage room for a car park as part of plans to redevelop a shopping centre.

An application to change the use of The Green Man in Loughborough has been submitted to Charnwood Borough Council (CBC) by Leicester Commercial Limited.

The move is part of the company's plan to demolish and redevelop the Carillon Court Shopping Centre into student accommodation.

While legally still classed as a pub, the building has been used as a firefighter training facility since it last closed its doors in 1993.

Historians said the building, which lies in the basement of Carillon Court, dates back to the late 18th century, but could be older, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The site evolved from the original building to a 1900s Victorian structure, and finally to a 1970s basement venue during the area's shopping centre redevelopment.

After closing its doors in 1993, the stairs were removed.

Jim Butler, a local historian, said it would be a "shame" for the building to be used for car park storage.

He added: "It was a well-loved establishment.

"A lot of student-built accommodation these days have things like cafes and gyms built into them.

"You sort of think could they not just tweak the plans and incorporate it somehow?

"Cities and towns constantly evolve. But when you have got something that has been this kind of thread through the town's history, for us to lose it entirely and it not be referenced or acknowledged in some way seems a shame.

"Anything that could tell those hidden histories can really create a sense of pride and interest for people in where they live."

The news comes after family-owned department store Tylers, based next to the shopping centre, confirmed it will close after 104 years of trading due to the demolition.

Steve Tyler, who runs the shop, said while the closure marked the end of an "important chapter" in the shop's history, his team were looking forward to potentially returning to the town in the future.

Tyler said the shop had secured an option to relocate into the new site once construction was complete, if they decided to reopen.

Members of the public have until 3 August to comment on the proposals for The Green Man.

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