Row erupts as permission granted to demolish 300-year-old Blackburn pub

The allegation came from Tory spokesman Councillor Paul Marrow as the borough’s planning committee approved the demolition of the vacant and boarded up former Blackamoor Inn in Roman Road to make way for road improvements and possible housing.

The pub, which has been vacant since 2019 and is currently boarded up, has roots in the 1700s.

The dilapidated pub shell in Lower Darwen will now be knocked down to improve the junction with Stopes Brow and upgrade the pavement on the corner. This will allow Blackburn with Darwen Council, which owns the building, to earmark the car park for part of a new housing development. The site is close to the multi-million pound Issa Way, named after billionaire business brothers Mohsin and Zuber, which connects Blackamoor Road to Roman Road.

Coun Marrow told the meeting: “I understood the council bought the pub from Thwaites for two affordable flats. Now we are going to knock it down because it is not fit for purpose. This is another council-owned building which we let go to wrack and ruin.“

Coun Marrow also stated that he believed the pub cellars go under the actual Roman Road, and questionned why there had not been a heritage assessment. Planning manager Gavin Prescott told Cllr Marrow that the pub had proved not to be viable as flats and that the Lancashire County Council heritage team which was informed of all the borough’s planning applications had not asked for an assessment.

Committee chairman Coun Dave Smith said: “It’s a bit sad. We are not the only council with old buildings. Demolition is the best thing for it or it is going to go to wrack and ruin. Now we can find a better use for the site.”

A report from Mr Prescott told the meeting: “The public house has been vacant for a number of years and the building is now in a dilapidated state.The loss of the public house building would not cause any adverse issues in relation to townscape when its dilapidated condition is taken into account.”