From http://www.kentonline.co.uk 28 January 2016.

Gravesend pub New Inn closed down for after-hours drinking and evidence of illegal drugs.

A pub which traded after hours and may have been used for drug-taking has been closed down after ignoring warnings to comply with its licence terms.

The New Inn in Milton Road, Gravesend, was first found to be breaching several conditions in March last year.

Police and local authority licensing officers gave advice and the designated premises supervisor agreed to close the pub until all breaches had been rectified.

The pub was reopened shortly after but during a follow-up visit in July, licensing officers found that the pub continued to regularly breach its licence, including trading beyond their licensed hours and having insufficient door staff.

As part of a routine drugs test, there was also suggestion that cocaine may have been used on the site.

Police requested a review of the New Inn's licence due to concerns around the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance.

A review hearing was held at Gravesham Borough Council in December and the pub had its hours reduced considerably. In addition, the designated premise supervisor was changed.

However, within days a licensing officer visited the pub and found further breaches of its licence, as well as inaccurate records of the door staff’s working hours.

A full licensing check was conducted and a further eight breaches were found. There was also further suggestion that cocaine had been used in the toilets.

After a decision was made to carry out a further review, the pub's licence holder surrendered their licence.

An application to transfer the licence was not made within the 28-day limit and the pub remains closed.

PC Clare Cossar, licensing officer from the north division licensing team, said: "I am pleased the licence holder took the decision to surrender their licence.

"Licensing officers made several attempts to address issues raised by the community with the pub’s management and designated premise supervisor before taking any formal action.

"Unfortunately the first review of the licence did not achieve a marked improvement and as a result we were forced to take further action.

"I hope this result reminds other licence holders of their responsibilities to actively promote the licensing objectives and, more importantly, that the police will take action against any other premise found to be behaving outside of the law."

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Alex Langridge, 26 May 2022.

Firefighters tackle blaze at former New Inn pub in Queen Street, Gravesend.

A former pub has collapsed into the street after a "massive" fire broke out.

Queen Street remains closed this morning after the blaze at the old New Inn in Gravesend, on the junction with Milton Road, yesterday afternoon.

The front of the building has collapsed into the street.

Crews were still at the scene last night but operations had been scaled back.

Jack Kamenou, owner of the Reliance Fish Restaurant in Queen Street, said: "It is massive. The whole roof has completely collapsed inwards. It is bad.

"They are still there and all the road has been shut off. We have no customers."

He believed the former pub, which then opened as a vape shop and was most recently New Amsterdam – the CBD Specialist, (that would be a substance found in Cannabis, not the Central Business District) has been empty for a while.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were called at 1.04pm to reports of a fire at a commercial premises in Queen Street, Gravesend.

"Nine fire engines and a height vehicle have been sent to the scene. Crews wearing breathing apparatus are working to extinguish the flames.

"The cause is not yet known. Officers from Kent Police are in attendance to assist with traffic management."

The building has collapsed.

The former New Inn pub in Gravesend from above. Picture: High Profile Aerial.

Last night, people were asked to avoid the area and those living in roads including Queen Street, Milton Road and Parrock Street are still being asked to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution.

The fire service added: "Operations have been scaled back and firefighting now reduced to turning over and damping down.

"Due to the nature of the fire and the fumes and dust still coming up from the site."

Mandy Yates was trying to get a bus to Darent Valley Hospital but had to get off after roads were closed.

She said: "I was here when there were flames coming out of the roof. The road was blocked with cars and buses.

"Nothing was going anywhere. It's devastating, it's such an old building.

Smoke was billowing out the roof. Picture: Mandy Yates.

"The fire has devoured the roof. It's a bit frightening, it's so sad."

Nigel Matton, who lives in St Andrew's Court in Queen Street, said: "I smelt smoke in my flat and heard sirens and the whole place was covered in smoke." He said he believed the building was more than 200 years old.

He said: "I looked out of the window and couldn't see anything other than smoke. It was billowing out of the roof."

His partner Mandy Loveridge said she smelt smoke and thought Nigel was putting out a cigarette in an ash tray.

She said: "Ten minutes later the whole flat was a smoky." She then saw the roof of the old pub come down.

Milton Road was closed from just after Edwin Street to the bus barrier at King Street.

Part of the old pub has collapsed and there is understood to be damage to other buildings.

The flames are out but firefighters were continuing to douse the building with water, and move tiles to check for other hotspots at around 3pm.

Mr R Nasseri, who is the owner of the Universal Food Centre in Milton Road a few doors away from the old pub, said: "The fire pushed through to the other building. We had to leave.

"We don't know if the electricity has been cut off. We have a lot of fresh meat, frozen meat and fruit and veg in there, and that will be lost.

The roof has been destroyed. Picture: Mandy Yates.

"The building is insured by the landlord but not our products."

He believes he may have lost anything up to £150,000 of stock. "It's my whole life," he said.

As of 4pm, the incident had been reduced to seven fire engines and a height vehicle as crews make steady progress to extinguish flames and cut away any hotspots.

By 8.30pm, this had been scaled back to six engines and the fire service said it would likely be reduced further in the next couple of hours.

Queen Street will remain closed overnight whilst firefighters hold a watching brief to make sure the fire does not reignite and to keep the scene safe.

No casualties have been reported and the cause is yet to be determined by an investigation will be carried out.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Alex Langridge, 30 May 2022.

Fire in Queen Street, Gravesend, believed to be electrical fault.

A major blaze which destroyed a listed building is believed to have been started by an electrical fault.

The former New Inn pub in Gravesend caught fire last Thursday and very little of the building remains.

Firefighters were at the scene in Milton Road, at the junction of Queen Street, for around 24 hours after flames broke out at around 1pm.

At its peak, nine fire engines were in attendance along with a height vehicle.

By 4pm, that number had been reduced to seven engines and the height vehicle, with crews continuing to fight the flames and cut away any hot spots.

By 8.30pm, it had been scaled back to six crews who were turning over and damping down as an investigation was launched into the cause.

Due to the nature of the fire, and the fumes and dust still coming up from the site, people living in the nearby area including Queen Street, Milton Road and Parrock Street were still being asked to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution.

Firefighters remained on the scene holding a watching brief overnight to make sure the fire didn't reignite, and to keep the scene safe.

By Friday morning, people were being told they could open their windows again but crews were still monitoring the remains and carrying out their investigation into how it started.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service operations did not fully stop until just before 12.30pm on Friday.

Very little of the building remains.

Today, a spokesman for the service said: "It is believed the fire started due to an electrical fault."

Kent Highways has said Milton Road – one of the main routes into town – will stay shut until 5pm on June 2.

Affected roads by the closure are Harmer Street, Milton Street, Ordnance Road, Edwin Street, Berkley Road, West Crescent Road and The Grove.

The remains of the old New Inn in Queen Street. Photo by Ray Petri.

The remains of the old New Inn in Queen Street. Photo by Ray Petri.

Pender Pharmacy, which was in the unit next door to the pub, has also seen its building severely damaged and staff are temporarily fielding calls at Gravesend Medical Centre.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Alex Langridge, 2 June 2022.

History of former New Inn pub in Queen Street and Milton Road in Gravesend which was destroyed by fire.

A piece of a town's history went up in smoke when a massive blaze took hold and devastated the listed building.

The fire a week ago today in Queen Street, Gravesend, saw the former New Inn pub destroyed.

At its height, firefighters in nine fire engines and a height vehicle were tackling the flames as huge plumes of smoke billowed into the sky.

By the evening, this had been been scaled back to six engines and firefighting reduced to turning over and damping down.

Operations were finally completed at around 1.30pm on Friday – almost 24 hours later.

The fire is believed to have started due to an electrical fault and, thankfully, no one was hurt.

The blaze has all but wiped out one of the town's oldest buildings, which prompted us to take a look back at the origins of the town centre landmark with the help of local historian Christoph Bull.

The former pub was originally in Fort Gardens but when the area became an artillery base in the 1780s it moved.

The building it took over – on the junction of Milton Road and Queen Street – was originally home to a man called Dr Holker and had a bowling green behind it.

In April 1734, The Prince of Orange – a title bestowed on Prince William IV – stayed in the house for what was meant to be only two days but was extended after the weather took a turn for the worse, and he was unable to travel.

By 1791, the New Inn had moved into the western portion of the building and took up around a fifth of the row of shops.

That said, a print from 1835 shows that at one point it occupied all of the house and was one of many hotels catering to a vast number of visitors.

Christoph said the pub also provided sanctuary for an over-worked police officer.

"When Gravesend ran its own police force between 1836 and 1942 the police constable used to have a dire time. They would go 12 hours without a break but he had an agreement with the pub.

"He would go there to have a sit down while on his shift and a beer, and he would overlook if the place was open longer than it should be."

The historian thinks the building would have dated back to the 17th century.

He added: "We do not exactly know when [it was built] but it was one of the oldest buildings. The town does not have that many very old buildings any more."

According to Tom Baine’s book "A Pub On Every Corner", the New Inn closed in 2010 after more than 200 years.

It was replaced by the "Coyote Ugly" which closed in 2011 and then became "Bar One" in 2012 for five months until it became multiple vape shops.

The demise of the historic premises has been branded a "devastating" loss to the town and many hope it will be rebuilt to mirror its former glory.

Nick Brown, Gravesham Borough Council’s director for environment, said work would continue to decide what happens next.

He said: “We watched with dismay the fire that caused so much damage in the town centre on Thursday and would like to thank Kent Fire and Rescue Service for their efforts to save the buildings involved."

He said council officers had been at the scene throughout that day, and met again on site last Friday with colleagues from building control "to fully assess the extent of the damage to the old New Inn building and neighbouring properties".

He continued: “Given the building’s listed status, there are legal considerations that need to be followed in respect of any potential urgent works in the interests of health and safety or for the preservation of the building.

“We have been in contact with representatives of the owner since Thursday afternoon to ensure they are fully aware of what needs to happen now, and we will continue to provide them with advice and assistance in the coming months.”

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Alex Langridge, 28 June 2022.

Work starts to clear Milton Road, Gravesend after pub collapsed during blaze.

Construction work has started to clear a town centre route after a former pub collapsed.

A grab lorry was on the site in Milton Road, Gravesend yesterday removing the bulk of the material that had fallen in the street.

The route through the town centre was closed on May 26 following a fire in the former New Inn Pub on the junction with Queen Street.

The blaze devastated the property as the roof collapsed inwards and left very little of the structure standing. Scaffolding has been put up since to prevent further damage.

As a Grade II listed building, the owners have to take specific action for its preservation and restoration and the council also has responsibilities to ensure the owner does so.

Whilst Gravesham council had been advised that the material in Queen Street would be removed on Friday, June 24, a grab lorry was on site on Monday.

It is understood the owners have sought approval from Kent County Council to erect hoardings opposite to ensure the area is safe and secure so the current road closure can be lifted.

Southern Water is also completing work as a consequence of the fire, but it is not known whether this will have an impact on when the road can be opened.

Cllr Lauren Sullivan for Northfleet North said: "Just like the local businesses of Milton Road and Queen Street in particular, and the residents they serve, I am severely disappointed that despite the council's proactive approach giving clear guidance on how to proceed, the owners of The New Inn have delayed the lifting of the road closure.

"Whilst I await the outcome of the investigation being carried out by the council's planning enforcement team, I would like to make it clear that the council will not tolerate the continued delays that have been encountered.

"I urge the owners of The New Inn and their representatives to make good on their recent words so that the necessary works can be completed to allow the road closure to be lifted."

The council said in a statement that the planning enforcement team is continuing to monitor the clearance and where works have been carried out contrary to the council’s instructions and listed buildings legislation, it "will utilise its powers to hold those who have further damaged the building to account".

Scaffolding has been put up to prevent further collapse. Picture: Jack Kamenou.

Attempts have been made to contact the owners of The New Inn.

Last week, businesses said they fear bankruptcy as the road closure was extended until Wednesday, July 6.

The council has advised companies to contact their own insurance company regarding any damage to their property or interruption of their activities.

If they need further advice or support are encouraged to get in touch with the town centre manager Graham Long and senior economic development officer, Keith Grimley on 01474 337000.