Biggleswade's Red Lion pub sold at auction for £400k - but questions remain about its future

The Savills sign at the Red Lion. Image: Councillor Fage.The Savills sign at the Red Lion. Image: Councillor Fage.
The Savills sign at the Red Lion. Image: Councillor Fage.
The former Red Lion pub has been sold at auction for £400,000 - and both councillors and CAMRA are hopeful for a roaring future.

The commercial property went under the hammer on Tuesday (October 8) with an asking price of £375,000 - far less than the £750k asking price when it originally went on the market in May. However, the plot has now been split in two - with part of the land still in the hands of previous owners, Elliott Builders.

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The developers attempted to turn the premises into a residential property, but were scuppered at the planning appeal - and now hopes have risen that it could once again become a viable business.

Andrew McWhir, pub protection officer for East Bedfordshire CAMRA, said: "Well, this could be Christmas or it could be something less desired - until we know who has bought it and what their intentions are.

"It went for £400k, certainly closer to the ball park of what CAMRA would expect the pub to go for, but they will have to undo a lot of the internally damaging changes.

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"The Red Lion is a great community asset and a great resource and we hope they [the new owners] will be sympathetic to that view. If it's someone who wants to return it to a pub, we would welcome them and be willing to work with them."

The Red Lion closed for good in January 2019 after it was sold to developers by Greene King.

It was bought by UK Regeneration, who aimed to turn it into a pub, restaurant and a farm shop - but when this didn't come to fruition it was sold again to Elliott Builders.

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Central Bedfordshire Councillor for Biggleswade East, Grant Fage, explained: "It is now split in two. Half the site has been auctioned off and sold - the pub and a small part of the car park, while the rest of the site, which includes a barn and a larger part of the car park, are still in the hands of the previous owner [Elliott Builders].

"[In terms of the pub] we look forward to working with the new owners to see something that adds to the character of Biggleswade.

"The other thing that I stress is that Biggleswade Town Council has a Neighbourhood Plan, which requires commercial premises in the town centre to remain commercial for at least the ground floor level.

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"This will hopefully be a new chapter for the site after years of saga, including multiple changes made to the building without the planning authority's consent."

Biggleswade Town Councillor, Jonathan Woodhead, said: "I hope somebody gives it a go as a gastro pub - I think there would be a lot of support for that and a gap in the market.

"It's Grade II listed so their could be a lot of wiggle room; it could become an accountants or a law firm.

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"The remaining building [the barn, which has not been sold] is not protected so it could easily be knocked down. There's quite a clear space for maybe a couple of houses and possibly flats, but my concern about that is that I assume it would want access to The Baulk - a busy road and opposite a busy junction."

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