A Bath pub that gained notoriety for booting out the Labour leader could swell in size.
The Raven pub in Bath | Photo © Colin Peachey / Shutterstock.com
Plans from the Raven would see it take over the grade II*-listed former Pritchards estate agents next door to serve the city’s “exceptionally unique” clientèle.
The traditional Queen Street pub hit national headlines in April when one of the landlords, Rod Humphris, clashed with Sir Keir Starmer over lockdown restrictions and his “failure” to hold the government to account.
Co-owner Tim Perry said the views did not reflect those of the Raven.
The application to expand the pub says: “The former estate agents offices located at 11 Quiet Street closed for business in the summer of 2020.
“Since then the property has been empty and the landlord of the Raven public house has approached the owner of this adjacent property with the view of expanding his business operations into this property.
“The proposals to combine both number 11 and the Raven into one public house and dining experience will provide a unique and bespoke drinking and dining area for visitors and locals alike.
“The current clientèle at the Raven is exceptionally unique to Bath with the core customer base being very loyal.”
The application adds: “The purpose of these interventions is to allow for the Raven public house and number 11 Quiet Street to act as one commercial entity and allow for customers and staff to ‘flow’ through both buildings unhindered.
“The interventions have been carefully considered in the light of the grade II* listing description and have taken into account of the character, context and setting of this important listed asset in central Bath.
“The current décor and condition of the quality of the various internal elements and fixtures and fittings within number 11 Quiet Street is very substandard and does not do justice to the importance of the setting and context of this grade II*-listed building.”
The plans say the vacant Georgian premises have been marketed for a year with no serious offers to occupy them as office space so the proposal is the optimum viable use.
If approved, the expansion will create four new full-time and seven part-time jobs.
The pub will continue to open daily at 11am and close at 11pm Monday to Friday, midnight on Saturdays and 11.30pm on Sundays and says the impact on neighbours will not change.
According to its website, the former bazaar opened as a wine vault in 1864, was a favourite watering hole for pilots during the Second World War, and became popular with goths and bikers in the 1980s before it became the Raven in 2004.
Bath and North East Somerset Council will consider the application, reference 21/05204/FUL.
Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporter
