Above photo, 1956.

Photo taken from http://www.flickr.com by Matt Martin, date unknown.

Horse and Groom church decision deferred.

A Greenwich Council planning committee has opted to defer a decision on whether or not the old Horse and Groom pub on Woolwich Road should be turned into a church. Our man at last night’s meeting takes up the story…

The pub has been sold to a church which started holding services there without planning permission. Greenwich Council stopped this and the church put in a planning application for change of use.

This was rather mysteriously placed before Wednesday’s Woolwich Planning Committee as an urgent item, with officers recommending approval. There were objections on noise and parking grounds from a couple of neighbours and also from CAMRA.

Following an impassioned plea from Woolwich Riverside ward councillor John Fahy, the matter was adjourned for further discussions and will probably come back before the Committee on March 16th.

The pub wasn’t much of a loss when it closed about three years ago, frankly – its only real trade came from Charlton home games and the odd strip show. But surely this site would be better used as housing? I’d be interested in your thoughts.