Fears for future of pub and its much-loved garden

The developers who own the Cornubia are putting on a charm offensive in order to assuage locals’ fears over the future of their favourite watering hole.

The historic hostelry is at the centre of proposals to redevelop a 1970s office building with the proposed scheme due to “re-landscape” the area around the pub.

There are also plans to create a new walkway linking Victoria Street and Temple Street, which would run directly next to the Cornubia and cut through the pub’s garden.

One local told Bristol24/7 that she fears the much-loved garden would be replaced “with yet another grey soulless space”.

Hereford-based developers Boultbee Brooks say that they understand the concerns but “it goes without saying that the Cornubia stays just as it is – the much-loved, traditional pub”.

There used to be more than a dozen taverns and inns on Temple Street, with the Cornubia the only one now remaining – photo: Martin Booth

A spokesperson for Boultbee Brooks told Bristol24/7: “We are proposing to redevelop Canningford House – the poor quality 1970s office block on Victoria Street – with a bespoke, contemporary office building that meets extremely stringent emerging sustainability requirements, and high-quality space to help attract and keep employers in Bristol.

“The Cornubia pub – which we also own – has sat at the heart of our design from the very beginning. It goes without saying that the Cornubia stays just as it is – the much-loved, traditional pub.

“At the moment the area to the rear of Canningford House and surrounding the Cornubia – opening onto Temple Street – is used for barrel and bin storage, as well as a large area for parking vehicles. It’s a poor use of this city centre site, and looks very run-down.”

Developers say that the area around the Cornubia is “a poor use of this city centre site, and looks very run-down” – photo: Martin Booth

The spokesperson added: “So, we are proposing to re-landscape the area, with barrel and bin storage built to the other side of the pub – and a new garden.

“We are also required to reinstate the historic Long Row route that runs through the site, linking Victoria Street and Temple Street. There are some real benefits in doing this – in terms of both heritage ‘gain’ and creating greater ‘permeability’.

“This does, of course, mean the existing much-loved garden will change. This has caused some real concern among the pub customers.

“As well as working closely with the publicans, we had an open meeting with the pub regulars where they explained their concerns – including a proposed reduction in the size of the garden and the number of seats.

“We have since revisited the garden design and have increased the size of the garden, added a new canopy and managed to increase the number of seats so it is the same as the current amount.

“We also looked again at whether Long Row needs to be reinstated, but feel we cannot be in conflict with the policy requirement to do so.”

A new partly undercover pedestrian route is planned to connect Victoria Street and Temple Street – image: Boultbee Brooks

Developers envisage “a large, attractive urban courtyard, with the Cornubia at its heart” – image: Boultbee Brooks

“We understand the locals really don’t want the garden to change, but we are doing all we can to address the concerns they’ve raised,” said the developers’ spokesperson.

“While it will be different, we do think the proposed landscaping will be really attractive with trees and planters, shade-tolerant herbaceous and evergreen plants, and pollinator-friendly flowering plants to provide year-round colour.

“One of the other concerns raised is potential impact on the viability of the Cornubia. But opening up Long Row, improving the landscaping onto Temple Street, and bringing in hundreds of office workers will all certainly boost custom to the pub.

“We are meeting the publicans and regulars again this week to explain the revisions to our plans, and will continue that respectful and open dialogue through the planning process and beyond.”

This area of the Cornubia’s garden is likely to disappear as part of the new development – photo: Martin Booth

Organisations including CAMRA and Save Bristol Nightlife are opposed to what locals fear will be a “destruction of the wonderful garden space”.

One pub regular said that despite the demolition of the Victoria Street office building being “a good thing for the aesthetics of the area, in doing so the proposed plans are to completely remove the Cornubia’s much loved pub garden”.

“Part of the proposed plan is to open a walkway which has been long since removed from the area by the build of Canningford House which currently sits on the site.

“The reinstatement of this walkway is proposed to run right along the side of the Cornubia and right through the middle of the garden as it is currently used.

“The pub currently has around 18 picnic benches, and the garden is much loved and well used by the large and varied demographic of patrons of the Cornubia.

“The garden is fully enclosed and has been described as a little oasis within the centre of the city, not to mention the fact that the garden is the pride and joy of not only its landlords but the team who work there, who all tend to it, and all of the locals who enjoy it .

“The plans that have been shown will result in the loss of the secure traditional pub garden, for a very generic open space like Finzels Reach on the opposite side of Passage Street to the pub.

“All bar four of the benches will be lost, along with the character of this gem of a pub.

“The developers have said that they have now ‘updated’ the original plans after talking with patrons of the pub, but we are still being told that the walkway MUST follow its original route and it is Bristol City Council that is insisting on this.

“The garden is not only a key part of the Cornubia trading, and as many publications have highlighted – the only true pub garden in the city centre, but it is now a unique space left in the heart of the city of which between the London developers and the city council are wanting to rip out and replace with yet another grey soulless space.

“When owners Phil and Jacki took on the pub over 15 years ago the garden as it is now was a car park, and they’ve transformed it into such an incredible space that it would be awful to see it changed.”

The Cornubia had a lucky escape from the devastation of the Blitz and now has the only traditional pub garden in the city centre – photo: Martin Booth

Developers Boultbee Brooks are holding a public meeting at the Cornubia on Wednesday from 5pm which is open to all.

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read next:

• 19 photos of historic Bristol pubs
• The best pubs in Bristol according to the Good Pub Guide
• Pub of the Week: The Cornubia

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