300 Year Old Pub to be demolished

After years of debate over the future of a 300-year-old pub that is council-owned, work to tear it down is set to begin.

The Blackamoor Inn in Blackburn has stood witness to the town’s transformation since the 18th century, but after falling empty and becoming dilapidated in more recent times, it is set to be demolished next week.

The former Thwaites pub on the corner of Stopes Brow and Roman Road was closed by the brewery in 2019, after a brief attempt to revive the historic building failed, ultimately leading Blackburn with Darwen Council to purchase the plot for future development.

But fitful plans to convert the derelict building for other purposes fell through, with the local authority ultimately putting in plans to knock the building down in 2024, signalling its intent to mothball the site for a future infrastructure project.

While the pub site was used as temporary accommodation for contractors building the nearby Issa Way, connecting Blackamoor Road to the old Roman Road, the council believes the site will be useful once again should funding be made available to improve the junction it sits on.

In the meantime, Blackburn with Darwen Council has said that the land will be landscaped and retained, with improvements made to the adjacent pavement and fresh rendering for the neighbouring building.

The work to tear the Blackamoor Inn down is set to begin on Monday, July 6, but disruption from the demolition will begin a couple of weeks later, during the school holidays.

To ensure the safety of road users while the 300-year-old building is knocked down, the council will be closing Stopes Brow from its junction with Aster Chase from Tuesday July 21 to Friday August 7.

The council is permitted to carry out this work between 8am and 6pm during the week and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday, though it expects most of the work to be carried out Monday to Friday.

With schools broken up for the summer, the council believes this timeframe will be when the road is quietest. The nearby Roman Road will remain open in both directions throughout the demolition.

Simon Jones, Growth Programme Director at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “The demolition of any building, including a former pub, is always a last resort and is not done lightly.

“The building has largely stood empty since 2019, when the brewery closed it as a pub.

“We bought the empty building and used it temporarily for contractors working on Issa Way. We have now exhausted all possible options for an alternative use for it, especially given its poor condition, including serious structural issues.

“Once the demolition is complete, the site will be landscaped and the pedestrian footpath improved, with a view to upgrading the junction in the future, when funding is available.

“The temporary road closure is required to ensure the works are carried out safely. Again, we will only ever close a road if it is absolutely necessary and we will re-open it as soon as it’s safe to do so.

“We apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused.”