Owners who bulldozed ahistoric 18th-century northern pub have been fined nearly £70,000and ordered to rebuild it, brick by brick, within a year.
The Punch Bowl Inn on Longridge Road, Hurst Green, was bulldozed by Donelan Trading Ltd in June 2021, despite warnings from Ribble Valley Borough Council that to do so would be considered a criminal offense.
A trial last year at Burnley Magistrates’ Court found that Andrew Donelan, Nicola Donelan and Rebecca Donelan, David Cotterell, and Brian Ingleby unlawfully demolished the pub despite having been warned not to do so in advance by email.
The five people responsible were ordered to pay a total of £69,125 in damages today at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court, and inspectors have confirmed that they will also have to rebuild it in full within the space of 12 months.
The pub is rich in local history and is said to be haunted by the ghost of 1730’s fugitive highwayman Ned King, who reportedly fled Essex with a high price of his head and headed north – eventually arriving at the village of Hurst Green, between Longridge and Clitheroe.
A member of the infamous Essex Gang of robbers – most of whom had already been captured and hung at Tyburn Gallows for horse theft, deer poaching and highway robbery – he is thought to have travelled alongside Dick Turpin before ultimately meeting his demise.
The pub, built in the 1720s, was visited by the fugitive on several occassions, and local legend has it that landlord Jonathan Brisco became friends with Ned and tipped him off to which of the customers staying at the inn would make good marks.
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Following a previous hearing at Burnely Magistrates Court, where a key witness, construction firm boss Gez Pegram, told the jury that there had been ‘no need’ to demolish the pub, District Judge Alex Boyd handed the group a total fine of £22,250, prosecution costs of £44,650 and a £2,225 surcharge.
The planning inspectorate also ordered that the council’s full costs must be repaid by the company.
The decision to demolish the pub was taken by Donelan Trading Ltd and a contractor after they grew tired of waiting for the council. Their defense team also claimed that the site had been targeted by arsonists and was falling into disrepair.
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Whilst criminal proceedings were ongoing, the company was sent an order by local planning inspectors to rebuild the pub they then tried to appeal.
However, their appeal was rejected – leaving them responsible for putting the boozer back together as it once.
The order states that they will need to ensure that the internal and external of the building are in line with the plans attached to the notice. This means going through the rubble with experts and working out what can be salvaged for the rebuild.
Any materials that can’t be salvaged must be bought again and approved before their use to ensure they are as historically accurate as possible.
Representing the council, Mr Killian Garvey said: “Given the defendants have to rebuild the building, we understand they will have financial burdens in that effect.
“That will also reinstate some of the planning harm that has been caused.
“The council would say that a listed building that has been demolished and rebuilt will not have the same character as if it were just left.”
District Judge Alex Boyd said: “This prosecution follows the demolition without authorisation of the Punch Bowl Inn on June 15, 2021.
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“The purpose of these requirements is to protect the building for current and future generations to enjoy.”
The FOUR Manchester restaurants named in the UK’s top 100
Daisy Jackson
The top 100 restaurants in the UK have been named at the prestigious National Restaurant Awards – and Manchester has once again come out fighting.
Four local restaurants have shot into the list, which has been celebrating the ‘brilliance and vibrancy of the UK’s eating out scene’ for almost two decades.
And while the list is incredibly London-centric, especially in the top 20, there are some fantastic Manchester restaurants standing proud among them all.
Making it into the National Restaurant Awards’ top 100 restaurants in the UK were Skof, Erst, Higher Ground, and Winsome.
The Manchester restaurant that placed highest, ranking in 29th, is Skof, which received its first Michelin star last year AND was awarded the coveted AA Restaurant of the Year award.
The acclaimed fine dining restaurant by chef Tom Barnes was said by the National Restaurant Awards to be ‘elegant yet approachable’, describing its decor as ‘stripped-back but characterful’.
Skof placed 29th in the National Restaurant AwardsSkof placed 29th in the National Restaurant Awards
The awards also recognised the personal touches that make Skof feel so magical, like ‘artwork referencing [Tom’s] life and a boozy tiramisu dessert that pays tribute to his late father’.
Up next at 37 is Erst, which ‘might just be the perfect neighbourhood spot’, according to the National Restaurant Awards.
The beloved local restaurant is set in the heart of Ancoats, and is famed for its flat breads, its natural wine selection, and its ever-evolving menu of Mediterranean dishes.
Erst in Ancoats has also featured on the National Restaurant Awards top 100Erst in Ancoats has also featured on the National Restaurant Awards top 100
The Awards said: “Co-founders Patrick Withington and Will Sutton possess an eye for detail that’s rare for a low-key ‘local’ place.
“Overseeing the kitchen and front of house respectively, the pair deliver a laid back yet grown-up experience that’s an antidote to the glitzier ‘going out out’ restaurant scene for which Manchester is traditionally known.”
Hot on Erst’s heels at number 39 is Higher Ground, the bistro from the same team behind wine bar Flawd and cocktail/seafood bar Bar Shrimp.
Initially launching as a pop-up at Kampus, hospitality heavyweights Joseph Otway, Richard Cossins, and Daniel Craig Martin went on to open their own space right in the heart of the city centre, on the edges of Chinatown, in 2023.
The vast majority of the produce used in their exciting menu is grown at their own market garden, Cinderwood.
The National Restaurant Awards said: “Higher Ground is modern and minimalistic without being austere with a long island that runs along one side of the room that serves as an open kitchen, pass and bar, as well as a counter where people can sit and eat and drink. A proper neo bistro then.”
Finally, just missing out on the top 50 but placing in a very respectable 67th place is Winsome, Shaun Moffatt’s excellent British bistro on Princess Street.
Shaun Moffatt’s Winsome in Manchester is listed in the National Restaurant Awards
The guide wrote: “Fans of Moffat’s cooking at The Edinburgh Castle will recognise the same produce-led approach, with a regularly changing menu built around dishes designed to feel familiar and comforting.
“The menu moves through snacks, starters, mains and desserts and centres on ingredient-led British cooking with a strong emphasis on seasonality, regional sourcing and produce from across the UK, ranging from Brixham seafood and Welsh pork to Clyndria beetroot and Garstang Blue cheese.”
Outside Greater Manchester, the highest northern entry is – in news that will surprise no one – the three-Michelin star Moor Hall, which placed fifth.
Brand-new sandwich shop with Michelin credentials ALREADY forced to close
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new sandwich shop in Oldham founded by a Michelin-trained chef has had to close its doors already… because it’s simply too popular.
Fjord launched over the weekend, headed up by chef Kieran O’Reilly, with a fine-dining-inspired take on the humble butty. That means sandwiches with up to 20 elements inside.
But the sandwich bar above a barbershop has had to unexpectedly close after just a day of operations, telling followers ‘this isn’t sustainable’.
Fjord’s opening day on Saturday was so popular, they completely sold out within 90 minutes.
The new restaurant said it was having to turn people away from its Lees location, saying it ‘doesn’t sit right’ with them to do so.
And so Kieran and his team have decided to close the sandwich. bar and kitchen for the time being, so that they can reevaluate their operations.
“We’d rather pause briefly now than compromise on quality later,” they wrote in a statement.
“We need a little time to rework our production, increase our capacity, strengthen our supply chain and make sure we can deliver the quality and experience that Fjord stands for, without people queuing endlessly or missing out.”
Saddleworth’s new sandwich bar and kitchen with Michelin credentialsKieran O’Reilly (right) has launched Fjord in Lees
Over the next couple of days, Fjord will be meeting with their investors to stock up on more stand mixers, and more produce, so that they can scale the business to meet the incredible demand from locals.
In their full statement, they wrote: “Over the last few days, the support for Fjord has completely exceeded anything we could have imagined. From local customers to food bloggers, content creators and everyone who’s made the journey to see what we’re about, thank you.
“Today was our official launch, and the response has been overwhelming. We sold through what we expected to be a week’s worth of ingredients in a single day. The feedback on our sandwiches has been incredible, and seeing so many people enjoy what we’ve created has been a proud moment for the whole team.
“The only downside … We’ve had to turn people away. That doesn’t sit right with us. So we’re going to be closing for the next two days.
“Not because anything is wrong, but because everything has gone right.
“We need a little time to rework our production, increase our capacity, strengthen our supply chain and make sure we can deliver the quality and experience that Fjord stands for, without people queuing endlessly or missing out.
“This isn’t a step backwards; it’s a step towards building something sustainable, consistent and worthy of the support you’ve shown us.
“We’d rather pause briefly now than compromise on quality later.
“Thank you for your patience, your support and for believing in what we’re building. We’ll be back very soon, better prepared, fully stocked and ready to welcome even more of you through the door.
“This is only the beginning. All food options, booking and concepts reworked, all announced over the next days. Wednesday morning 9am.”
Georgina Pellant -
9th March 2023 
