Old Black Lion: Historic pub gets £315k from council

The pub burnt down in the great Northampton fire of 1675 but was restored as the Old Black Lion in 1720

A 16th Century Grade II listed pub could reopen after a council agreed to give it a further £315,000 for restoration.

The Old Black Lion public house on Marefair in Northampton has been empty since 2018.

The plan would see the lease taken over by the Churches Conservation Trust, who run the adjacent St Peter's church.

Lizzy Bowen, from West Northamptonshire Council, said it was "an integral part of Northampton's heritage".

A meeting of the authority's cabinet on Tuesday agreed to release the money for the work from the £24.9m awarded to Northampton from the government's Town's Fund.

The council said a further £150,000 would sought from section 106 funding - money from developers - and the council has already provided £200,000 to the project.

Almost £2m from the National Heritage Lottery Fund has previously been secured for the pub.

The Grade I listed St Peter's Church is run by the Churches Conservation Trust and Friends of St Peter’s

Ms Bowen, the councillor on the Conservative authority responsible for town centre regeneration, said the pub "in its current state... has a negative impact on the neighbouring 12th Century St Peter's Church".

Proposed works to the Old Black Lion include improvements to the paths around the pub and to the Grade I listed church and a new dining room.

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The building will given to the Churches Conservation Trust on a 30-year lease with the first 12 years offered at a peppercorn - nominal - rent and a clause allowing the trust to buy the building from the council at a later date.

Peter Aiers, chief executive of the trust, said the it has "considerable experience of community-led regeneration of church buildings" which would be used to help restore the pub.

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