Former pub could be turned into houses

The Giant Goram closed its doors in September 2019

Developers hope to knock down a former pub in north Bristol to build eight houses and a micro-pub in its place.

The Giant Goram, which was the first pub to open on the Lawrence Weston estate, closed five years ago.

Bristol City Council has received 27 objections to Hawkfield Homes' planning application, including from the Bristol branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Councillors on the development control committee will vote on the application at a meeting on Wednesday, 4 September.

Writing to the council, a CAMRA spokesman sad: "This micro-pub doesn't meet the needs of the local community, which are for a full-sized pub offering food, a place for families and neighbours to meet and hold celebrations."

"Since the Giant Goram was bought and closed by the current owners, the community has successfully fought off plans to demolish the pub."

'Pub no longer viable'

The Ambition Lawrence Weston community group set up the Save Our Giant Goram Campaign, which tried to buy the pub from the developer.

CAMRA said their offer was rejected and "no further attempt at communication has been made".

According to a report commissioned by the developer, any new landlord taking on the Giant Goram would struggle to stay afloat as the pub is no longer viable, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

But CAMRA said this did not take into account the option of the pub being taken over by the local community.

Several people living nearby wrote to the council, with some supporting but the majority objecting to the plans.