In a remarkable display of community solidarity, over 1,200 Greenwich residents are standing together to oppose the transformation of a disused 19th-century pub into a Tesco supermarket. The White Swan pub, an esteemed local icon, is now at the center of a fervent dispute as residents vehemently object to the proposed conversion into residential flats.
A petition, bearing the signatures of 1,267 concerned residents, has been formally submitted to the Greenwich Council, urging a reconsideration of the future plans for the White Swan. The community expresses deep disappointment over the reported closure of the pub in March 2020 and the subsequent deterioration of this historical site. During a recent meeting with the Greenwich Council on December 6, a representative for the Charlton Village and Riverside ward underscored the imperative for planning enforcement to take corrective action.
The focal point of concern during the meeting was the plea for planning enforcement to ensure the restoration of the property’s first-floor function rooms, which were allegedly damaged without proper planning permission.
The contentious issue stems from plans submitted earlier this year by property developers, proposing the conversion of the White Swan into seven residential flats with a ground-floor retail space. Tesco’s interest in the pub was brought to light through planning documents from Jenkins Law, citing apprehensions about the pub’s viability as a drinking establishment based on the struggles of its previous tenant and a lack of interest during marketing campaigns.
According to property specialists Davis Coffer Lyons, the submitted plans outline an estimated restoration cost of £125,000, incorporating an extension into the beer garden and an additional storey. Presently under appeal, these plans face strong opposition from a community determined to safeguard the historical integrity of the pub.
Tensions escalated with revelations that Tesco had expressed interest in the pub space as early as December of the previous year. Despite indications of community support and what seemed like a positive marketing campaign, Tesco contends that maintaining the pub as a drinking establishment is not economically feasible.
The inclusion in the planning application of an extension into the beer garden and an additional storey has fueled further opposition, particularly in light of the council’s rejection of a similar proposal last year. This earlier application sought to convert the first-floor function rooms into two residential flats.
As the local community unites against Tesco’s proposed conversion, the fate of the White Swan hangs precariously in the balance, symbolizing the ongoing struggle between progress and the preservation of heritage. This clash underscores the delicate equilibrium between community-led restoration initiatives and the potential loss of a historically significant pub to commercial development.
