Support grows in fight to save last central Bristol pub beer garden

More than 40 people have submitted objections to plans to remove a large part of the beer garden and toilet block of a popular Bristol City centre pub.

The Cornubia in Temple Street was originally built in 1775 as shop units for a wig-maker and is the only building in the area to have survived the bombings of the Second World War.

The tucked away pub sits in the shadows of an office building called Canningford House, which developers want to knock down and replace with a higher six-storey office block.

The plans, submitted to Bristol City Council, also include reinstating a medieval walkway called Long Row connecting Victoria Street and Temple Street.

This covered walkway would go through the pub’s beer garden, which reopened with artificial grass and new seating just three years ago.

But the plans to remove part of the pub’s beer garden - the last one in the area - and toilet block have been met with widespread criticism by customers of The Cornubia, which is nationally recognised as one of the city’s best real ale pubs, and popular with local residents and office workers.

There has been strong opposition from users of the pub and Bristol and District CAMRA Pubs Campaigning Group which is concerned over the loss of the beer garden.

The letter from Bristol and District CAMRA, which named the pub runners up in Bristol Pub of the Year 2022, said: “We object strongly to the loss of most of the pub’s beer garden and using it as part of a public thoroughfare and the relocation of the pub’s toilets in a separate major building.

“We believe these will have negative effects on the pub’s customers enjoyment of its use, the pub’s management and therefore its future viability.”

Toilets attached to the rear of the pub would also be demolished with a replacement opened in the ground level of the new office block. The plans have been proposed by Boultbee Brooks Real Estate.

But now the time period for making a decision has been extended by the council to November 23, meaning critics of the scheme have longer to voice their concerns.

More than 40 objections have already been posted to the council’s planning portal, including one from councillor Ani Stafford-Townsend.

She said: “The Cornubia is Grade II-listed and the proposed changes to the immediate amenity and loss of garden along with the seating capacity it brings will cause harm to the character and viability of the building for its built purpose. The proposed change of location of the toilets will also be detrimental to the viability of the pub.”

Another person posting an anonymous objection said: “I visit the Cornubia often when I meet friends in Bristol. I object to the plans submitted as they will reduce the size of the Cornubia’s beer garden which is an oasis of calm in Bristol city centre. The development will completely overshadow the pub and destroy a unique asset in the city.”

And another unnamed objector said: “The Cornubia is one of my favourite pubs and is an oasis of space in a congested central area. I am concerned at the potential changes to toilet facilities, especially for disabled users.

“This would not be in my (and others who have mobility problems) best interests and could increase danger to ourselves as well as making access more difficult.”