London pub demolished without permission
A historic pub in north London's Kilburn has been demolished by developers, allegedly without warning or permission from the council.
Carlton Tavern was reportedly bulldozed yesterday without warning, destroying its contents including a wide-screen television, pictures, and a pint glass left on a table, according to the Kilburn Times.
The newspaper said that a Westminster Council spokeswoman had confirmed that the action had taken place without permission, and that the council would be seeking legal advice.
It is not known if the building was secured or if utilities had been switched off prior to demolition.
The building was bought by developers CLTX last year, who put in a planning application to replace the pub with 10 residential units over four floors. This was reportedly rejected by the council who said that the design would be "detrimental to the view" from the nearby Maida Vale Conservation Area.
Landlady Patsy Lord said that she knew nothing of the plans to demolish so soon, and only found out when she was called to move her car from the scene.
Council enforcement officers were said to have been called to the site to investigate further.
A spokesperson from English Heritage today confirmed that a proposal to list the building had been made, with some suggesting on Twitter that the demolition had been timed to pre-empt any listing.
Speaking to the local newspaper, Maida Vale councillor Jan Prendergast said: "They do not have permission to do this. I am absolutely furious.
The council will take very strong measures against them. It's not safe and I'm appalled for the residents who live here."
Thomas Crockett, also a Maida Vale councillor, wrote on his Twitter account that pubs were "important for the community" and that he was "genuinely shocked and saddened" by the incident.
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