The Montague Arms, Roehampton

A property developer which illegally gutted one of the oldest buildings in Wandsworth has been ordered to restore it to its original state.

Carrington Sears Ltd took over the Montague Arms pub in Medfield Street, Roehampton, in October last year with the intention of turning the 17th-century Grade II listed building into flats.

However, the Bethnal Green-based company did not get the relevant planning permission and have now been issued with a listed building enforcement notice to restore the pub back to its original state by March 18.

Council leader Edward Lister said: "The Montague Arms is a very important historic building that has been a central focal point in Roehampton for centuries.

�It is totally unacceptable for a developer to start interfering with a listed building in this way without any kind of consent or permission.

�Carrington Sears will now be required to restore this listed building back to the way they found it.�

The council confirmed they issued the notice, along with a separate notice to clean up the debris which has been left outside the building, on January 21.

However Adam Carter, manager at Carrington Sears Ltd, said he had not received it.

�As far as I'm concerned no notice has been issued. We accept absolute responsibility for not having planning permission but maintain the reason we started work on the property was to protect the building, which was in a dilapidated condition when we took it over, from further damage.

�If a notice has been issued, we will not contest it and will do our utmost to make sure the building is restored,� he said.

If the developers fail to comply with the notice - which the council say was sent to all four of the company's addresses - they could face unlimited fines and its directors could face jail terms.

8 Apr 2010 10:15

The Alexandra, Wimbledon

Good pub been going for years but your right the bar staff need a kick up the backside. Mincer landlord a bit of a slacker on his staff

6 Sep 2007 14:12

The Queens Head, Mitcham

Sounds like your decribing the coppers anoymous from 1 MAr 2007

6 Sep 2007 14:10