The original New Beehive was a coaching inn on
Westgate and along with other properties in the area was purchased by
Bradford council and the pub was leased to its existing tenants, Allsop
brewers of Burton on Trent.
In 1900 the city surveyor J H Cox designed a new pub building for the site
as part of the road widening and municipal improvement for Westgate. The old
coaching inn was demolished and in 1901 a new pub building constructed in
stone with a slate roof by the Bradford Corporation retaining its original
interior and parts of the interior decorative scheme. It consists of four
rooms around a central drinking lobby.
The corporation originally intended to run the pub, but instead leased it to
James Anthony Geoheghan and then family until 1926 when it was taken over by
a Mr Smith who stayed until 1957. The pub was sold in 1920 to William
Whitacker & Co and ceased brewing in 1928, In 1936 it was remodelled but the
internal decor was largely unchanged. The was waiter service throughout
apart from the tap room and a number of bell pushes still survive. It was
taken over by Joshua Tetley & Son in 1959 then sold to Trough Brewery in
1982. Later it was renamed The Bradfordian becoming a free house and was
redesigned internally by Ray Buck with the conversion of the cellar for live
events, installation of gas lighting, and a new sign above the main door
with stained glass panels and the building of a kitchen extension.
The pub was acquired by William Wagstaff who changed the name back to The
New Beehive Inn. In 2014 CAMRA listed the pub as a heritage pub. In 2022 the
pub ceased trading, changed ownership then uPVC windows were installed
upstairs and the bar removed from the tap room. It was grade II listed by
Historic England in 2022 for a rare survival of its late Victorian 1901
decoration, but was criticised for the removal of a bar prior to listing. It
is claimed that it is the last surviving pub in the city whose interior is
of historic note. Plans were submitted by new owner Sakhawat Hussain for
conversion of the building to offices. After objections, the plans are
expected to be accepted. |
The New Beehive Inn was designed in April
1900 by the City Surveyor JH Cox and constructed by the Bradford Corporation
in 1901 as part of the municipal improvement scheme for Westgate. Initially
the Corporation intended to run the pub as a municipal enterprise, but
instead leased it to James Anthony Geoheghan. It stayed in the Geohegan
family until 1926, when it was taken over by a Mr Smith, who ran the pub
until 1957.
The Corporation sold the pub to William Whitaker & Co Ltd in 1920. William
Whitaker & Co Ltd ceased brewing in 1928, but continued as bottlers, wine
and spirit merchants and public house owners until taken over by Joshua
Tetley and Son Ltd in 1959. The New Beehive Inn stayed as a Tetley pub until
it was sold to the Trough Brewery in 1982 and renamed The Bradfordian.
The interior of the pub was refurbished by William Whitaker in 1936. Apart
from the Tap Room, service was by waiter throughout the pub. A number of
bell pushes survive. The first floor rooms were used as function rooms. A
subdivision of the Tap Room forming a Ladies’ Room was removed at an unknown
date.
The Bradfordian became a free house in the mid 1980s and was redesigned
internally by Ray Buck. The redesign included the installation of gas
lighting and additional bell pushes in the bars and the conversion of
upstairs rooms to accommodation. The pub was acquired by William Wagstaff in
1989, who changed the name of the pub back to The New Beehive Inn and
excavated a cellar used as a bar for events and live bands. A new sign was
fitted above the door of the pub, stained glass panels installed and a
kitchen extension built to the south east.
The New Beehive Inn ceased trading and changed hands in 2022. The windows of
the upper storeys were changed to uPVC units in May 2022 and the bar removed
from the Tap Room in June 2022.
Details
Public house, 1901 by JH Cox. Built from stone with a slate roof.
PLAN: The ground floor of the New Beehive Inn is that of a double fronted,
double pile structure, with two rooms either side of a central lobby. An
extension to the south east contains a modern kitchen and the north rear
room (the Music Room) has been extended to the south west.
Upper storeys comprise rooms opening from a central corridor. The building
cellar has been extended from underneath the tap room south eastwards to
form a large function room.
EXTERIOR: The principal elevation of the New Beehive Inn is symmetrical,
comprising two wide bays topped by shaped gables either side of a narrow
central bay. Each of the two main bays contain recessed bow windows on the
ground floor, each with three one-over-one sash windows separated by stone
mullions. The storeys are separated by double string courses. The upper
string courses contain a datestone inscribed 1901 in a decorated panel, and
‘NEW BEEHIVE INN’ in large gold coloured letters. The double front doors sit
under a glass lantern over a semi-circular glazed door sign.
The rear elevation is plain, with two light windows with plain stone lintels
and cills. The two gables are plain rather than shaped and there are no
string courses. There is a flat roofed, single storey rendered extension
containing a toilet block. The two side elevations are plain, with painted
signage. The south east extension is of stone, with three fire escape type
doors.
INTERIOR: The pub is centred around the drinking lobby, which is wood
panelled to lintel height and lit by wall mounted gas mantles. A serving
hatch to the tap room bar is in one wall.
To the right of the drinking lobby, the Tap Room (or saloon bar) contains
the main bar counter for the pub. The bar counter runs most of the length of
the room before curving round to meet the wall and is of oak. It is panelled
underneath, with an iron foot rail following the line of the counter. The
arcaded display shelves behind the bar are either side of an archway through
to the Music Room behind and are of oak. The arcade posts are square
sectioned, with the arched heads springing from square sectioned urns. The
rear of the display shelves is mirrored. A hatch at the end of the bar
allows drinks to be served in the drinking lobby. Leather upholstered bench
seating runs around the walls of the room, interrupted by a chimney breast
containing a fireplace under a segmental arch. The walls (to door lintel
height) and ceiling are covered in Lincrusta and the floor is terrazzo. The
room is lit by wall mounted gas mantles. Behind the Tap Room is the Music
Room, which has few features of historic interest.
To the left of the drinking lobby, the Commercial Room is wood floored, with
leather upholstered seating around the walls. Bell pushes are fitted above
the seating. A cast iron fireplace is set into the east wall. The room is
lit by gas mantles in drop light fittings. Behind the Commercial Room is the
Pink Room. The Pink Room is wood floored, with leather upholstered seating
around the walls, separated into booths by wood and glass partitions. Bell
pushes are fitted above the seating. A cast iron register grate sits in a
marble surround on the east wall. The room is lit by wall mounted gas
mantles.
The gents’ toilet is at the end of a glazed rectangular tiled corridor
accessed from the Tap Room and Music Room. The toilet is walled with glazed
rectangular tiles and contains a glazed porcelain communal urinal separated
into individual bays by thick ceramic partitions. The ladies’ toilet is
accessed from the hall to the rear of the drinking lobby and has few
features of historic interest.
The rear entrance opens into a back hall connected to the drinking lobby,
stairwell and the Music Room. The hallway has a combination of terrazzo and
wood flooring, and the walls are papered to dado height with similar
Lincrusta to that in the Tap Room.
Doors throughout the ground floor are of a similar pattern, comprising nine
glazed lights over two wooden panels with brass push plates.
The upper floors contain little of historic interest beyond Lincrusta dados
and the Cellar Bar contains little of historic interest. |
