Yard Bar in Soho saved from the developers

The Yard

The historic Yard Bar in Soho has been saved after planning inspectors upheld Westminster City Council’s decision to protect it.

The well-known LGBT venue in the heart of Soho found itself at risk, as the developer, Consolidated Property Corporation Limited, originally submitted plans to build flats over the courtyard area.

Westminster City Council first blocked those plans in March 2015, but the developer submitted subsequent applications and launched two appeals that were finally rejected in the Planning Inspectorate on 10th August.

In its final report, the appointed inspector described any move to build over the Yardโ€™s courtyard as one which would โ€œfundamentally alterโ€ the character of the bar.

The decision represents a full vindication of the councilโ€™s two-year battle to protect this much loved Soho bar, which received outstanding support from the local community and the barโ€™s owners, who led a high-profile โ€˜Save The Yardโ€™ campaign.

Cllr Robert Davis MBE DL, Westminster City Councilโ€™s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Built Environment, said,

โ€œSoho is one of the most iconic areas of Westminster, with a unique character that everyone at the council is committed to protecting.โ€

โ€œThe Yard is a jewel in Sohoโ€™s crown and I am thrilled that we have joined forces with the ward councillors and the local community to ensure it remains open for business.โ€

โ€œI am absolutely delighted that Westminster City Council has been able to play its part in saving this long-standing example of Sohoโ€™s history, culture and diversity.โ€

The proposals for the development of three flats meant that the courtyard would have been enclosed beneath a glass roof, something which the Soho Society and Historic England also strongly objected to.

This would mean the loss of an โ€œextremely distinctive feature of the bar and its related cultureโ€ said the planning inspector.

Advertisements
shop dildos for gay sex

The Yard Barโ€™s owner, Andy Jones, led the โ€œSave The Yardโ€ campaign which brought the issue to even greater attention.

He said,

โ€œIt has been a very long battle and we are so delighted that we have been successful. The support we got from Westminster City Council, ward councillors, Historic England, Soho Society, heritage experts and the LGBT, business and residential communities was huge and unbelievable. We can’t thank everyone enough. Ultimately, all of their support helped to overcome the multiple applications and common sense has prevailed. Long live The Yard!โ€

About the author: TheNewsDesk
Tell us something about yourself.
%d bloggers like this: