PLANS have been submitted to convert the Portcullis pub in Staple Hill into flats and a cafe or restaurant.
The ground floor would be kept as a commercial operation under the plans, submitted to South Gloucestershire Council by developer Rokform Group in April.
The upper floors would be converted into five private flats, with the work involving loft conversions and changes to the roofline.
If approved the plans would mean an end to more than 140 years of history; a heritage report produced for the developers found that a pub has been operating on the site, at the corner of Staple Hill High Street and Soundwell Road, since at least 1881.
In a statement on behalf of the developer, agents Three Magnets Planning said: “The public house closed in March, following a period of operation with a caretaker landlord.
“The public house has a chequered past, with several articles in the local media regarding incidents.
“At present the building is in a poor state of repair, the skittle alley is currently disused and the building’s roof is in a very poor state, leading to major leaks and damage to the upstairs accommodation, including the function room.”
The agents said the previous owners, Admiral Taverns, had marketed the pub as a going concern but had no takers, while attempts by the current owner to find a permanent landlord had also failed.
They said the building’s use as a pub “has now ceased” and there is “no demand” for it, adding: “It is clear that there is a range of suitable alternative provision within walking distance providing a range of drinking options.”
The plans contain no off-street parking for the new homes, although the agents said other nearby “car free” developments had been passed.
The plans can be seen on South Gloucestershire Council’s planning website by searching for application P25/00966/F.