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Press Release

30/05/2018

Call to protect more post-war pubs of historic importance 

Press Release

30 May 2018

Call to protect more post-war pubs of historic importance 

The White Admiral in Harlow was turned down for a Grade-II Listing despite its historical significance
 

The Campaign for Real Ale has welcomed Historic England’s decision to list five new post-war pubs, and is calling for further historic listings of post-war pubs.

CAMRA is seeking protection and recognition of further post-war pubs which have remained at the heart of their communities for more than 50 years and play a unique role in Britain’s history and culture.

The Campaign is highlighting three of the very best intact surviving pubs which were recently turned down for listing due to restrictive criteria being applied including: the White Admiral in Harlow (1953), the Palomino in Newmarket (1957) and the Punch Bowl in Worcester (1963). Each of these pubs are central to their surrounding living environment, despite modern pressures for change making them some of the most threatened and vulnerable buildings in the country.

Paul Ainsworth, Chair of CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Group said: “These new listings are welcome, highlighting some especially interesting examples that have been part of the rebuilding of post-war England.

“However, many other pubs designed in this period have fallen by the wayside simply because their architecture reflects austerity and functionality, rather than grandeur and theatrics. This means that some fantastic intact survivals from this period risk being lost forever, along with a whole cultural era that is now seriously under-represented in the national heritage listings.”

CAMRA has been supported by the 20th Century Society in calling for wider recognition of post-war pubs. Tess Pinto, Senior Conservation Adviser at the Twentieth Century Society said: “We are always delighted to see good C20 buildings listed but are concerned that the small number of post-war pubs designated today doesn’t give a full enough picture.

“The news reinforces our ongoing concern about the application of highly selective criteria for the listing of all buildings of the post-1945 period – despite the fact that many within this category are now well over 50 years old. ”

Giving a pub Grade-II Listing marks them as nationally important to our historic heritage, and provides them with extra legal protection within the planning system.

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