Community rallies to preserve historic pub in Walsall, UK, from being converted into flats before auction.
The group, Friends of the White Lion, held a protest on February 7. People from the area attended, including former drinkers and local leaders. Members of a beer group also showed up. Notably, some famous musicians have visited the pub before.
The pub closed in 2020 when Admiral Taverns owned it. Now, 88 Capital Investments Ltd owns the property. They suggest it could become 13 flats; however, the White Lion group opposes this idea. They value the pub’s history and local role and hope buyers will share this view.
Mark Webster leads the White Lion group. He said the company wants profit only and that the conversion doesn’t consider the local impact. He explained they want to squeeze many flats in, mentioning building on the carpark and in the cellar.
A local councilor, Aftab Nawaz, supports the group. He said the pub is in a key location and he is tired of buildings becoming flats. He stated that some developers only care about money and should protect buildings instead.
Shirley Johnson celebrated her 18th birthday at the pub. Her father had his first pint there too, upon returning from the army. She said her family would buy the pub if they won money, highlighting that other nearby pubs are now flats as well, a loss she feels is sad.
Gary Timmins, who works for a beer campaign, said pubs are important for communities. When a pub closes, the community loses a center. He believes it’s vital to preserve these places, warning that once they disappear, they are gone forever.
The group got the pub listed as a community asset. This gave the community the first chance to buy it, but that protection period ended. Now, the owner can sell to anyone, and Shonki Brothers will handle the auction.