News / Development
Publicans now support future development around their pub
The family who run the Cornubia now back plans for a major development around the historic hostelry.
The change of heart follows a campaign from organisations including CAMRA and Save Bristol Nightlife opposed to what locals feared would be a “destruction of the wonderful garden space”.
Boultbee Brooks Real Estate’s (BBRE) plans for the redevelopment of the area around the pub on Temple Street include a pedestrian route to Victoria Street through the middle of what is now the pub’s spacious garden.
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Future plans include the reinstatement of a thoroughfare between Temple Street and Victoria Street – image: BBRE
But Samantha Hall, whose mother is a publican of the Cornubia, said that “as a family, we support this planning application”.
She said: “The developer has spent a great deal of time trying to ensure that the scheme works for us as publicans, but also for our loyal and wonderful regular customers.
“The BBRE team has done a number of things that have helped us as publicans.
“It has ensured that the pub itself doesn’t change; that some existing issues with the building are resolved, including securing planning permission and sharing the cost of a new roof; upgrading the toilets; and providing secure barrel storage within the redevelopment.
“The BBRE team didn’t shy away from spending time with our locals to hear their concerns – and dealt with the situation very politely, followed through on the commitments they made, and came back to explain the outcomes.
“Currently we have a much-loved, informal garden, which feels like an oasis in a busy city centre.
“Our customers feel very protective of the garden. Because the historic Long Row needs to be reinstated, that means a pedestrian route will go right through the middle of our garden.
“However, we’ve worked with BBRE’s team to ensure the size of our new garden is as large as possible, that there is no reduction in the numbers of outside seats, that there is a covered area, and that planting and fencing is used to help recreate the intimate feeling of our current garden.”
This area of the Cornubia’s garden is set to disappear as part of the new development – photo: Martin Booth
The plans for the area are part of an application for the redevelopment of Canningford House on Victoria Street, which planning officers at Bristol City Council are now recommending for approval.
The tallest section of the new building is set to be eight storeys high and would provide space for some 430 office workers.
The newly reinstalled Long Row pedestrian link would be accessed from Victoria Street via a covered, double height glazed walkway entrance, opening up onto a courtyard within which sits the Cornubia.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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