London to close?

Photo from Oakwell brewery website

We're hearing worrying rumours that the London Hotel on Windsor Road, Southport, is to be demolished and houses built on the site. As the pub has a bowling green, it's sitting on a sizeable piece of land, so I can see why the owners might be tempted to cash in on the value of their property. However, I have checked on the local authority website and can see no record of planning permission being applied for.

The London sells Oakwell beers, including Barnsley Bitter, a highly regarded pint in some circles, at extremely low prices (well under £2 a pint last time I was in earlier this year). I won't repeat previous posts: you can see what I wrote about it in January here. The London's in a residential area with no other pubs in the immediate vicinity. I'll try to find out what is going on and let you know.