Acorn pub in Haggerston saved from demolition after achieving Asset of Community Value status

Saved: The Acorn pub in  Haggerston

Saved: The Acorn pub in Haggerston

The Acorn in Haggerston has became the latest Hackney pub to secure Asset of Community Value, or ACV, status – effectively saving it from demolition.

An application to knock down the early Victorian building in Queensbridge Road was registered by Hackney Council in October.

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) swiftly nominated it for inclusion on a register of buildings with ACV protection.

James Watson, the East London pubs protection officer for the Campaign for Real Ale, told the Hackney Citizen this bid had succeeded.

He added: “To my knowledge, this is a first case in London, if not the whole country, where an ACV nomination has prevented the demolition of a building. We’ve effectively saved the Acorn.”

According to CAMRA, the first recorded licensed use of the Acorn was in 1839, and it is believed that the current building was constructed at around this time.

In a letter to the council, Watson argued that the Acorn had great historic and community value.

He added: “Despite not embracing the incomers to Hackney or availing itself of the copious volumes of quality craft beer brewed in the borough, the Acorn had its own regular following.

“These were locals who would gather on a weeknight to catch up with neighbours, the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sporting crowd from football in the autumn to national hunt racing in the spring, and warblers at the famed karaoke at weekends.”

The pub closed earlier this year but now looks likely to reopen in the near future under new management.

4 Comments

  1. Graham Hindson on Wednesday 21 December 2016 at 15:43

    I’m not sure that ACV status unconditionally protects a building from demolition. It protects it from demolition without planning permission being granted, and its status must be a material consideration in the decision making process. As far as I am aware there is nothing to prevent such an application being made, or indeed a change of use application, and permission granted if other considerations should outweigh the ACV status.



  2. Michael on Friday 30 December 2016 at 09:31

    I have lived in the area for over 40 years and to be honest there were never more than a handful of people in there. As for it being a focal point of the community that is stretching it slightly ! Far more concerning is Hackney Council trying to reduce size of Haggerston. Park .



  3. Terry Stewart on Friday 30 December 2016 at 16:25

    It has got to be the pub that has had more fires than Hastings on a Bonefire Night. All insurance job I would have thought.

    I have lived in close proximity to the pub for over twenty year and never felt the desire to enter the place. Community and Acorn Pub, your having a laugh.

    It will probably become an Asset Hipster Value, a loan and a small mortgage for a pint, which will maintain its current value to the community, none at all.

    Local people have to travel further afield to get a pint they can afford.



  4. Dan on Sunday 19 February 2017 at 20:30

    Yay! There is no need to demolish buildings left and right, when you can simply renovate them. I mean it makes no sense, and it destroys a great piece of history for the locals.

    Tearing a building down and building a new one in its place is not giving it a new “fresh look”. It’s getting rid of it. But I do think they should give it a fresh look with remodeling and with reconstruction of it all. No demolition though – not needed.



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