Pub to be demolished for one way scheme (From Western Telegraph)

Pub to be demolished for one way scheme

3:50pm Sunday 27th January 2013 in News

After months of speculation Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed that it has purchased the Ship and Anchor Pub on Fishguard High Street.

The pub, which has been shut for most of January, was on the market for most of last year at an asking price of £285,000. Last November, Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet convened behind closed doors to discuss the purchase of a property in Fishguard.

They decided to purchase the freehold interest of the property to “aid regeneration in Fishguard Town Centre”, but declined to disclose the location of the building, citing commercial confidentiality.

Last Thursday the council confirmed that the property is the Ship and Anchor pub, which is earmarked for demolition under a 1996 plan known as the Chimneys Link Road. This would see High Street and West Street linked and the northern end of High Street incorporated into a one way system.

“The purchase of this property by the council will assist the Welsh Government in the delivery of the reconfigured trunk road in the town centre,”

said Cllr Rob Lewis, the council’s cabinet member for highways and planning.

“This is a much needed scheme which will assist in the regeneration of Fishguard town centre.”

The pub was emptied of its contents last week, but the council said that there was no timescale for the demolition of the pub and that the extent of demolition work will depend on the route and design of the proposed road.

The council will have to apply to the Welsh Government for any demolition work under the 1990 listed building and conservation area act, as the pub is within a conservation area.

A council spokesman confirmed that it is considering allowing Fishguard’s Cylch Meithrin to use part of the property on a temporary basis until a demolition date is set. The Welsh medium playgroup has been without a proper home since the old infants school closed in 2011.