Legal action threat to pub

The leader of the district council has written to the owners of a Spalding pub asking them to carry out works or face legal action.

Coun Nick Worth told South Holland District Council he’d personally written to the Samuel Smith brewery, which owns Ye Olde White Horse in Church Street.
“I’ve written on behalf of the council to the Samuel Smith group stating that we have tried to contact them on a number of occasions and haven’t been successful,” he said. “We are still emphasising the fact to them the building’s a potential fire hazard and given them one last chance to do some work.
“We’re then considering taking legal action to get them to tidy up their premises if they don’t do it voluntarily.
“I’ve seen on social media they’re advertising for a couple to take it on which ran out at the end of September so hopefully we’ll see something happen.”
In August The Voice was able to speak to the brewery where a spokesman said they were still then looking for a couple to take the business on.
The book Aspects of Spalding by MJ Elsden claims that Ye Olde White Horse building was built from material from the former Benedictine Priory and was known as Berguery House when owned by William Willesby who lived there from 1576 to 1631.
It was a pub back in 1732 known as The George.
But since its closure four years ago the frontage has begun to deteriorate, leading to comparison with the next door Bull and Monkie and also long-abandoned old Johnson Hospital.