From Kez Armitage

Wednesday, 13 August 2014

Looking at the plans, it appears that it's only the former Croft House (which for many years was a solicitor's office) which is to be turned into residential units. The remainder, and majority, of the Moyles site (not covered in this planning application) is still scheduled for a bar/restaurant I understand.

As for no parking spaces, well isn't that just a case of caveat emptor?

From Phil M

Thursday, 14 August 2014

Moyles is definitely being worked on at the moment . . . and <hearsay alert> will be returned to a bar at the end of the required refurb. Great news as it was a nice addition to the town when it was in operation before..

Just need someone to turn it into a bar / mexican cantina type joint...

From Bethany Smith

Thursday, 14 August 2014

This application is only for Croft House, which was formerly part of the hotel but doesn't encompass the main part of the Hotel. I have had this confirmed having spoken to Gillian the case officer.

However I have had it on good authority that an agreed sale that would have kept the property as a Hotel and bar/restaurant has fallen through because the owner is going to apply for the main part to be converted into residential as well. Obviously no application has been submitted as yet so no action could be taken to object. However it is something we can look out for.

Loosing such a prominent building to residential is going to do nothing to help our tourism; if Hebden is to keep flourishing it needs more attractions, not less and more beds for people to stay.

From Cllr Janet Battye

Thursday, 14 August 2014

I think that it's disappointing to see this turned into residential accommodation although it's good to see the building being refurbished. We need a wider range of visitor accommodation and I would have thought that Moyles as a whole (bar, restaurant and hotel) would have been a viable business.

From Catie G

Saturday, 16 August 2014

I would much prefer to see exisiting buildings converted and used as residential than any more green fields concreted over. If there is no parking available then who ever is thinking of buying or renting is already aware of that and as the building is next to a main highway and within walking distance of the railway station then that should not pose a problem.

Are there not enough pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants in Hebden already? Surely it is about time the whole planning fiasco was overhauled and stop completely building on green belt and start using brown field sites instead and use existing buildings as well for residential development and stop them going into ruin and been wrecked by the weather and thieves who steal anything that isn't tied down. Just look at Walkleys and the old Pubs up and down Coach and Horses at Foot and the old Pub at King Cross with no roof left on it. Lets use these buildings.

From Bethany Smith

Sunday, 17 August 2014

Yes we should use buildings rather than see them go into disrepair, and yes those pubs outside of town centres stood doing nothing should be used. However you are not looking at the situation specific to Hebden Bridge. A very popular tourist town where people visit for its cafés pubs and boutique shops, where people want to stay a night or two. And where there is a shortage of accommodation. Moyles was a reason to visit to Hebden and it still could be, turn it into flats and it never will be again.

From Anthony Rae

Sunday, 17 August 2014

And - setting aside the particular issues about Moyles (on which I don't need to comment): I agree with Catie G! The ongoing Calderdale Friends of the Earth campaign in favour of brownfield/ against greenfield housing development is here.

This issue has been taken up by the Hebden Bridge Partnership in its Vision 2020 document - see page 13 and Priority 6 - and I hope the prospective Hebden Royd and Wider neighbourhood plan as it progressively emerges will do the same.

If we don't want large scale housing development on greenfields or the Green Belt - in and around Hebden Bridge, and to a much, much greater extent across Caldedale - then new provision has to be made in urban locations and town centres, including by the reuse of existing buildings. There are always choices to be made - and sometimes they are difficult - but if we don't actively encourage reuse then it's very easy to anticipate the consequence. New housing estates around Heptonstall, anybody?

From Chris Hill

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Hello folks, just read your collective amusing comments on the refurbishment at Moyles Hotel.

I am a Camra member in South Oxfordshire and spoke to Joe Walker the other day as he, his son and daughter in law are running The Chequers in Berick Salome near here. Joe tells me he ran the Moyles Hotel and was in the GBG for many years so I googled and found your site.

Thanks very much for getting my Monday off to a good start.

Enjoy your refurbished pub Weather spoon or not!!

From Kez Armitage

Friday, 3 October 2014

Chris, in all honesty, I cannot see how a CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) member can find our concerns about Moyles 'amusing' This pub was formerly one of the best pubs in Hebden Bridge. Joe Walker did a fabulous job, and in my opinion, once he left, the place just wasn't the same.

Part of the former building is to be turned into apartments. My feeling is that the rest will follow. There is, at present, a token nod to keeping some form of bar / restaurant, but I think this is a classic example of conversion by stealth.

Your witty innuendo about Wetherspoons is misplaced. What remains of Moyles is most certainly not going to become a Wetherspoons. They have said as much.

No true CAMRA member can ever find the closure of a pub 'amusing'. Closures are still carrying on at 28 pubs a week. The comments on Hebweb stem from a genuine concern about the loss of a decent pub in Hebden Bridge. How is that 'amusing'?