Historic pub that burnt down set to be demolished

A 17th Century pub destroyed by fire is set to be demolished due to health and safety concerns.

The fire broke out at the Chequers Inn in Wootton, near Bedford, on 19 September. An inquest heard the building was set alight by the landlord, who later shot himself and died.

David Palmer, the director of the company that owns the pub's freehold, said it had to get planning permission and listed building consent to have it torn down.

An application has been submitted to Bedford Borough Council, which says all the first floor and roof timbers were destroyed in the blaze, with only fragments of charred framing and sections of unstable masonry remaining.

The application's heritage statement said the pub had high historic interest as a social hub for more than 200 years.

However, the fire left no meaningful historic fabric for conservation, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

An inquest last month heard the landlord, Hervé Louis Appert, died after shooting himself with a crossbow having set fire to the pub.

Mr Palmer, 64, described him as a "lovely guy" and said it was "incredibly sad".

"You can rebuild buildings, but you can't put lives back together," he added.

"We would love to have another pub there."

Local borough councillor, John Wheeler, said he would also like the site to be rebuilt as a "proper country pub".

He added: "It was a tragedy it should end like this."

The application to demolish the pub and its associated outbuildings is out to consultation, which expires on 17 December.

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