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Unfortunately it was always a fairly crap pub in a crappy location so struggled to be viable. No doubt it’ll get flattened and more “luxury living” flats will spring up on the site
underuser53929-
I don't doubt you're right that it was badly-managed in the past, but I'm sure we can agree that the loss of such a lovely building would be a tragedy. I also don't really doubt that it could have been made viable as a pub. It always just depends on the quality of the management. If it's a good, welcoming place, with good drink and/or food, people will come. I don't know the area at all, but I've seen many unloved places transformed in this way pretty much anywhere I can think of. Location is less important than one might think.
While I lazily assumed it was arson at first, it turns out that it was squatted and so the fire may have been an accident (as I don't want to believe that anyone with commercial interest in the site would commit arson while the building was occupied). More background, with pictures of the fire:
https://insidecroydon.com/2024/04/20/burn-bullock-pub-fire-mitchams-history-was-lost-tonight/
Not sure it can be saved--with the right investment, it could, but otherwise this looks final:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg3084z8jkmo
Sad.
Oliver Schick
A totally non-suspicious fire at a listed and neglected historic pub:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/20/fire-partly-destroys-grade-ii-listed-london-pub