Derelict Grove Tavern - who to contact?

[Sue]

5 hours ago, ArchieCarlos said:

A nice article has recently been published about the Grove here:

https://pa-training.shorthandstories.com/dulwichs-grove-tavern/index.html

"We will start looking for a pub operator shortly.”

Karen Wood, Head of Communications at the Dulwich Estate

That's  a really interesting article, thank you for posting it!

Their poll at the end won't take any more submissions, but in any case there is no way to vote for more than one of the three options, whereas surely the site could be used for more than one of them?

[Insuflo]

There were three vans marked “External Cleaning Contractors” (or words to that effect) outside the Grove Tavern this morning, with blokes who seemed to be looking the place over. Anyone know if it’s going to be scrubbed up? Would this be an end of lease requirement, to hand it back without graffiti and fly posting?

[beansprout]

Is it not Dulwich Estates?

[Penguin68]

There would be terms in the lease with Dulwich Estate about condition of the property at the lease end. 

[jazzer]

Another bit of architecture that's about to get demolished. 

[alice]

On 31/03/2025 at 22:46, Sue said:

That's  a really interesting article, thank you for posting it!

Their poll at the end won't take any more submissions, but in any case there is no way to vote for more than one of the three options, whereas surely the site could be used for more than one of them?

Funny little video - I dont know who made it but certainly wasn’t the people who have power over what happens to the site. Which makes the poll meaningless.

[Glemham]

I understand that The Grove is to be handed back to the Estate in September hence the cleaning up process. Will we ever know why this building was allowed to become so dilapidated and remain empty for so long and who profited?

[beansprout]

In this day and age, nobody seems to be held account for anything and people don’t seem to care - if they did, why can Dulwich Estate get away with this unless of course, all during its non occupation as a pub whoever rented it continued to pay rent - 

[Penguin68]

I believe they did! And quite a lot too. 

[Glemham]

The tenants are/have been Stonegate Pub Co. which claims to be the largest pub company in the UK. Last year they were £2.2billion in debt and “seeking to refinance”.

Allegedly the Estate has been receiving anything from £50 to £100K in rent.

[CPR Dave]

If they couldn't get out of the lease and couldn't make a profit running a pub there and weren't allowed to sublet then paying the rent on empty premises might have been their cheapest option.

[jazzer]

Sad to have seen The Grove sit empty and decay for so long. Perhaps Dulwich Estates will now do "something" with the former building and land and put it to some good use. Let's have a Lidl. 

[beansprout]

Man after my own heart!! Know how upset some people were when Iceland closed.

Not sure it would be big enough for Aldi, Lidl but yes for an express or local…

 

 

[Penguin68]

I believe there are council restrictions here on change of use. They want it to continue as a hospitality location. Until it can be shown it can't, I'm assuming. 

[DulwichParker]

Does anyone in this thread have any more information about what is happening to the Grove Tavern? As I understand it, Stonegate's lease should now be coming to an end. There has also been quite a lot of activity around the site - not just the works to create the crossing, but also some general clearing and tidying. A promising sign perhaps? 

On the off chance anyone from Dulwich Estate monitors this forum, please do give us an indication of what is going on. As a local resident, I know that all of us on that stretch of Lordship Lane would really appreciate a bit more information. 

[ArchieCarlos]

The lease has come to an end, and the Dulwich Estate is going to raze the building. They consider the building unsafe.

They don't currently have plans to develop the site, so it will remain as a empty plot until that changes.

[alex_b]

14 minutes ago, ArchieCarlos said:

The lease has come to an end, and the Dulwich Estate is going to raze the building. They consider the building unsafe.

They don't currently have plans to develop the site, so it will remain as an empty plot until that changes.

Has planning permission been granted for demolition? I would have thought someone would have shared that information if it were the case.