Crimea Tavern: Council plans to spend £1.2m to buy then demolish derelict former pub

Residents have made repeated calls for the eyesore Crimea Tavern in Castleford building to be knocked down. The property, on Savile Road, has been a magnet for anti-social behaviour and vandalism. Senior councillors are being asked to approve the spending as it looks to progress major redevelopment projects in the town.

The council has secured £23m of government Town Deal funding to revamp buildings and open spaces next to the river Aire and in the town centre. Cabinet members are also expected approved the “strategic acquisition” of properties on Aire Street, Savile Road and Carlton Street, to allow work to begin.

Similar acquisitions have already taken place, the details of which remain confidential. The Crimea site is not part of the Town Deal programme but it will form part of a separate project to “complement” the work.

A report says: “Securing a long-term solution to this site has been an objective of the council for some time, and recent discussions with the owner have identified an opportunity to take control of the site to ensure this.”

Demolition is expected to start in autumn 2024 once ownership of the properties have been secured. Cabinet members will consider the report at a meeting on December 12. The Crimea site has long been a blot on the local landscape since it closed in 2009.

Speaking in January this year, council leader Denise Jeffery said the cost of boarding up the site to keep out intruders was a burden on taxpayers.

She said: “Residents are telling me that teenagers are climbing over the fence in the evening and having real enjoyment from smashing it up. It is soul destroying really, because it’s costing the council money to keep boarding it up. The sooner we can get it demolished the better. The two Castleford projects included in the Town Deal funding are:

The Castleford Riverside Project

Formed of two schemes: The Riverside Destination and Queen’s Mill improvements. The Riverside Destination project focuses on land close to the River Aire and Queen’s Mill. Currently, the river is largely cut off from the town and hidden from view by buildings.

The council has already acquired property to the west of the mill. The plan involves creating more green space close to the river and will highlight the Roman bathhouse, located nearby.

The Heart of Castleford Project

Focuses on Henry Moore Square, described as an “uninspiring” section of Castleford’s main high street. The project aims to transform the area into a “new vibrant and active heart of the town centre.”

It will undergo a major upgrade, with a new enlarged square with new trees lighting and a sculpture installed. It is hoped the new square will also open up nearby Sagar Street and increase footfall towards the riverside.