'Communication errors' to blame for pub demolition

The Market Tavern was knocked down in error in January

"Unintentional errors in communication" were to blame for the demolition of a historic pub despite a promise to halt work, a council has said.

The Market Tavern in Sheffield's Exchange Street was knocked down in January, just hours after campaigners secured an extension to try and save the building.

Sheffield City Council has since apologised with an independent investigation concluding demolition had been "the only way forward".

Heritage campaigners cited a "lack of transparency" at the council, describing it as "very disappointing".

The Market Tavern, which dated back to 1797 and was one of the city's oldest pubs, closed in 2006.

The condition of the council-owned property had deteriorated over the years and the decision was made to demolish it in January 2024.

Architectural heritage protection group Hallamshire Historic Buildings (HHB) and heritage charity SAVE fought against the proposal, with the latter offering to fund a new structural assessment.

Despite an agreement to pause the demolition, work recommenced on 10 January.

The council initially claimed the top turret of the building collapsed under its own weight but later conceded it had fallen because of demolition works.

A subsequent investigation found there had been "different understandings" about the work but that the building's demolition had been "inevitable".

The council said no formal action would be taken against "any of the key individuals".

The Market Tavern in Exchange Street was considered to be one of Sheffield's oldest pubs

HHB said it was hard to believe such "disarray" could "boil down to a series of mistakes".

"Given that the building was promptly demolished once the offer of a second opinion was received - something the council officers expressly denied until video evidence contradicted them - we will never get that second opinion," they said.

"Sheffield Council have tried to use a report, that we don't get to see, to support a view that 'the building should have been demolished anyway and really we were just trying to placate heritage campaigners'."

Councillor Ben Miskell, chair of the transport, regeneration and climate policy committee, said the council was sorry for the communication failings.

He said: “It is clear from the independent investigation that unintentional errors in communication led to incorrect information being shared with a range of stakeholders and I am disappointed that this took place."

The investigation also highlighted several learning points to the council, including ways to ensure emails had oversight from all key parties.

It was also suggested to include heritage groups at the earliest stage in projects that involve council assets of cultural or historical importance.

The council has also approved a new heritage strategy, which has been welcomed by campaigners.

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].