Drinkers' anger as yet another real ale pub is sold off

nlnews@archant.co.uk
11 April 2007

REAL ale lovers are up in arms following the sale of another Tottenham pub by a brewery.

A planning application has been submitted to Haringey Council to convert the Botany Bay, in Philip Lane, into a retail unit.

Pro-pub campaigners fear it will become a supermarket and the upstairs will be turned into flats. They have labelled brewery Greene King, which owned the pub, a "vandal" after it sold the much-loved boozer to a private developer.

It joins the legion of former Tottenham pubs which have become redundant in the past year.

Keith Flett, president of Haringey Trades Council, said: "This area does not need yet another supermarket. It badly needs community resources like pubs and in closing the Botany Bay and refusing to sell it on as a pub Greene King has put two fingers up to Tottenham people."

Mr Flett is particularly concerned about the plan as a local entrepreneur had already contacted him saying he was keen to buy the premises and re-open it as a pub.

But he claims Greene King turned the offer down and said it was not interested in selling it as a pub.

Work has been underway at the pub to strip out the interior.

Pubs have been shutting down regularly in Tottenham over the past few years, causing an outcry from campaigners.

A lengthy campaign was fought to save The Oakdale Arms, in Oakdale Road, from developers wanting to knock it down and turn it into flats.

Although the Oakdale is still open, its future is uncertain as developers successfully appealed against the council's decision to turn down the application.

A spokeswoman for Greene King confirmed the pub had been sold six weeks ago.

A planning application has been lodged with Haringey Council to transform the former Milford Tavern, Park Lane, Tottenham, into eight flats. Planners look set to approve the proposals.