Delayed pub demolition gets under way

Work has started to knock down an 18th-Century pub to make way for a £10m road scheme.

The former Henry Curwen pub in Workington, Cumbria, also known as Henry's Bar, is being demolished to expand the road junction at Ramsay Brow, as part of Workington Gateway project.

The pub was built in the late 18th or early 19th Century as a terraced house and entertained generations of townsfolk for decades before its closure in 2023.

Cumberland councillor Denise Rollo said: "This is an important scheme for the town in terms of future-proofing our transport networks."

The council, which is leading the project, said no disruption is expected for motorists at this stage, however a section of footpath would be shut.

The pub’s demolition - which was initially due to begin in June - will remove a pinch point where the A66 and A596 meet, meaning access should be easier for HGVs and other large vehicles.

It is part of a project which would also see changes to pedestrian and cycle routes at the nearby Hall Park, with a new horticultural centre and café also planned in the walled garden.

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