The Hussey Arms, taken just after closure at the end of July 2010. It's currently boarded up, and it's condition continues to deteriorate.
It has come to my attention that a planning application has been submitted for the long-closed Hussey Arms pub in Brownhills. Shuttered now for nearly a year, the fate of this landmark pub has been causing concern for many locals, and has been the subject of some speculation.
The application for the pub is reference 11/0298/FL, and can be perused on the Walsall Council ‘PlanAccess’ service. It seems that Greene King wish to convert the pub into a ‘family orientated public house/restaurant’, as stated in their Design and Access Statement, supplied with the planning application. In this document, the developers state:
The Greene King offer is for a food led, family friendly pub that will sit well within the site and will provide a valued service to both commercial and residential areas surround the site. The accompanying Planning Statement provides further detail regarding the’ Hungry Horse’ operation.
And…
The development of a pub/restaurant will create around 40/50 new jobs for the local community, a positive factor in the current economic climate.
Also…
At the front of the pub an existing external patio with smoking shelter has been retained. A paved patio extends round to the side of the pub where there’s a new family beer garden and play area.
For the curious, a drawing of the proposed exterior elevations is online, as is a nicely detailed site plan.
Personally, I think this is an excellent proposal. The Hussey has been a landmark for decades, and it would be sad to see it decay to rubble like MacWarreners or so many other lost local pubs. The proposed extensions and facelift seem sympathetic and in keeping with the general character of what is a lovely building. This pub has always – even in the good times – seemed to be dozing, to never have reached it’s full potential. Let us hope, that with decent management, good beer and food, that this lost hostelry can thrive again. Brownhills is getting desperately short of good boozers these days, with the nearby Swan closed again.
Proposed front elevation of the refurbished Hussey Arms, from the planning application. Click on the image to see the full plan.
While I’m on the subject, does anyone have any idea what’s going on with the former Spring Cottage at Shelfield? No planning applications seem to have been submitted, yet work goes on apace. I’ve heard the rumours of the conversion to a Co-op supermarket, but the building wouldn’t seem entirely suitable without a lot of alteration, which would presumably require planning permission. Any contributions welcome on that one…