An historic community pub in Golcar is to be transformed into a supermarket ... and many people are far from happy about the plan.
Golcar councillors, residents and pub campaigners were shocked to find out that the Rising Sun in Leymoor Road is to become a Tesco Express after its owners, Enterprise Inns, agreed a deal to sell it due to a fall in trade.
No dates have yet been agreed for the change but Tesco has already announced plans to submit a planning application to create an extension. It would mean there would be a Tesco around 100 yards from the Co-operative food store at Town End in Golcar.
It is the latest pub to be turned into a chain food shop in the area and will not require planning permission for its change of use due to a planning law introduced in England and Wales in 1995.
Huddersfield CAMRA spokesman Neil Kelly believes the conversion could be a big blow to the community.
He said: “Local pubgoers in Golcar have been dealt a blow with the loss of the Rising Sun to yet another supermarket store.
“It is worth pointing out that two pubs a week are being converted to small supermarket stores and they can even be demolished without planning permission.
“CAMRA are calling for a simple change in planning law so that a planning application is always required before a pub is demolished or converted into another use.
“A pub is an entirely different proposition to a convenience store and is in many areas the only place where local people can meet up to socialise or to support a community event.
“It is wrong that communities are left powerless when a popular local pub is threatened and I would urge people to lobby their local councillors and MPs to support such a change in planning law.”
The historic pub has long been a meeting point on the local drinking circuit and used to be renowned for its Sunday night discos.
Golcar councillor Christine Iredale said: “I’ve grave concerns about the plans .
“The pub is on a narrow road so changing it to a supermarket could have a considerable impact on traffic due to deliveries and possible parking issues.
“There will need to be a serious think about when delivery vans will arrive.
“I’ll be meeting up with the other ward councillors to discuss this and decide our plan of action.”
It will be the fourth pub in Kirklees to be changed into a Tesco store, following the Whistler in Dewsbury, the Black Bull in Mirfield and the old Grey Horse pub in Halifax Road, Birchencliffe, which is due to open this Autumn.
Tesco spokesman Mark Thomas defended the change and said that they would write to residents to keep them informed.
“Our store will create up to 20 jobs and bring great shopping choice for residents,” he said. “We only propose stores at pub sites where the owners identify that the pub use is no longer viable and its long term future would be secured through another use for the building.”
