While the eyes of drinkers have been looking at the future of the George, just up the High Street another Wanstead pub has changed hands.
The Bull, formerly the Manor House, has been bought by the Livelyhood Pub Group, a small chain of independent neighbourhood pubs based in South London. It has pubs in Clapham, Balham, Wimbledon, Elephant & Castle and Crystal Palace.
The chain says all 22 jobs at the Bull are safe and that the team will begin planning renovations to take place in winter 2025.
Announcing the deal, Livelyhood described its pubs as “focusing on social spaces for eating and drinking at the front and entertainment areas with big screens for hosting sports, live music, quiz nights and other events at the back”.
Sarah Wall, founder and owner of Livelyhood Pub Group, said: “We’re delighted that The Bull Pub is now part of Livelyhood Pub Group and can join us on our journey of growth for the year ahead. The Bull Pub already has an incredible team in place and prides itself as a real community, local pub which strongly aligns with our own values and expectations of what a stand-out pub should be.
The Bull, a beautiful building and former bank, has a rich history and has been a huge part of the local community since its inception as a pub ten year ago. A pub full of character, it boasts a first floor private room alongside an epic garden. It has been at the centre of many events, celebrations and Summer parties over the years. This Summer will be no different with the Euros just about to launch and the British Summer Time arriving (everything crossed!).”
The building was formerly the headquarters of the Wanstead and Woodford Conservative Association when Winston Churchill was the local MP, hence the bust of the former prime minister at the front of the building.
For some years it was a branch of the Allied Irish Bank, but was converted into the Manor House by local entrepreneur Mark Foster almost exactly 10 years ago.
* Meanwhile a petition to attempt to persuade Wetherspoons not to go ahead with selling the lease for the George has been signed by 2,700 people. It calls on Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin and freehold owner Lord Sugar to retain the pub as it currently is, saying it would become more expensive if converted – one of the possibilities according to a popular rumour – into a gastropub with many of the current clientele no longer being able to afford to go there. “It has great character and staff and true East End atmosphere,” the petition organisers say.
Big screens? Oh good Lord no.
Agree
I agree with Jules. Heaven help us
“Sky Sports shown here” is a really useful pub sign for me as a warning not to go in.
Hopefully it is not part of the main pub or that they’ll realise pretty quickly but I have no interest in sitting in pubs with sport on TVs.
In fairness maybe there’s enough that do want it and I suppose there’s enough pubs locally to go to instead. Time will tell.