Goodbye to The Pickerings?

Wyre Council has given planning permission for 10 new luxury homes to be built on the site of the former country hotel in Garstang Road, Catterall.

Several letters of objection were sent to the council, with local residents complaining that the new homes would be too high, too large and that bungalows or smaller eco-frendly homes would be more appropriate.

Catterall Parish Council objected too, saying it wished to record its “disappointment that Catterall is to lose the focal point of this village, a landmark and loss of bar/restaurant facility.”

It asked that the developer produce a historical study of The Pickerings for village records and said the development would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the area.

Some 35 trees, including two with preservation orders, will be removed, but agreement has been reached to plant 35 new ones.

The historic hotel, a local landmark has a distinctive history. The property had previously been known as The Pickerings and the name was reinstated when it became a hotel in the 1970s. The hotel closed its doors in January, 2013. The planning application was made on behalf of Kirkbride Homes (NW) Ltd.

Canon Ron Greenall, author of our Reverent Reflections column, and former vicar of St Thomas’s, provided the two historic photos featured here and noted a clerical connection with the property and its architecture.

He explained:“The Rev George Boys Stones was a predecessor of mine and like me was Vicar of Garstang St Thomas and Rural Dean of Garstang. After his retirement he retired to Catterall Cottage.”

He had used the same architect and builder for extension work at his vicarage and the cottage.