The entire 156-year-old George Hotel pub in Southport is due to be demolished this November – and before being rebuilt ‘like for like’.
The landmark building, which was built on the corner of Duke Street and Cemetery Road in 1867, has been vacant since the pub closed its doors in February 2021.
It was particularly demolished last year before building work suddenly stopped.
It is expected to be replaced with a new Co-Op supermarket, creating 15 new jobs, along with new apartments.
Central Co-Op has submitted details to Sefton Council’s Planning department about the demolition work, which is due to begin on Monday, 6th November 2023 and is expected to be complete by Monday, 27th November 2023.
The firm has submitted a prior notification application for the demolition of the original element of the existing two- storey public house, through DB3 Architects.
The George Hotel pub in Southport
The previous side and rear extensions have been demolished already.
In their submission, Central Co-Op said: “Due to circumstances outside of our control, the remaining structure has been deemed unsafe by specialists, resulting in the only reasonable way forward of demolishing the entire building with a view to re-build ‘like for like’ under a new planning application.
“The restoration of the site will be treated as a whole when the site is redeveloped at a later stage.”
Co-Op has been contacted for comment.
A planning application to convert the site into a new Co-Op supermarket and apartments was submitted to Sefton Council in March 2022, and was granted in October 2022.
Proposals for the historic pub called for a change of use from a vacant public house to a retail store on the ground floor and four residential units on the first floor.
The George Hotel pub on Duke Street in Southport
Opening hours would be 7am-10pm seven days a week, including Sundays and bank holidays.
The George Business Park next door is unaffected by the proposals and continues trading as normal.
The planning application granted the partial demolition of the existing building and the erection of a single storey extension to the side, the filling in of the existing basement and associated landscaping and access.
The scheme was originally due to be completed last year, with Co-Op keen to open the doors of its new site.
An artist’s impression of how the new Co-Op supermarket could look on the site of the former The George Hotel on Duke Street in Southport
A Retail Assessment by DPP Planning said in the application to Sefton Council last year: “The Co-operative has an immediate need for the store and therefore any potential site needs to be available prior to the end of 2022.”
The proposed convenience store is due to provide an in-store bakery.
It is not yet known when any opening would be due to take place.
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