Civic society welcomes bid to bring neglected Chesterfield pub building back into use

Triward Holdings, the owner of Martha’s Vineyard on Corporation Street, wants to reorganise two floors to sell food and drink, create a new orangery and upgrade the beer garden. The proposal, which includes forming three flats within the building, has been submitted to the borough council who will decide whether to grant planning consent.

Howard Borrell, chairman of Chesterfield and District Civic Society, said: “The Civic Society have yet to fully consider the application but our early comments are that we generally welcome it. The site is right next to the theatre and museum and on the main pedestrian approach to the town from the train station. The plans will see this neglected building tidied up and brought back into use and, at the same time, will enhance the surrounding streetscene.“We may have some reservations, such as aspects of the beer garden renovation – which would see use of two stacked container units within it – the use of which is now fairly popular elsewhere. We do recognise that the area in which they would be situated is not a very attractive back street.”

The building is believed to have been erected in the mid 19th century as a hotel. It was operating as the Ascot Hotel until 1997 and numbers on doors in the residential area above the pub are evidence of its origins. At some point in its history, part of the building is believed to have been used as a doctor’s surgery. In the late nineties an extension was added on and the building was renamed The Barking Badger.

It is thought that the Victorian building pre-dates the adjacent Stephenson’s Hall where the theatre and museum are housed and which is currently undergoing a £17.5million refurbishment programme.

The borough council’s Chesterfield Station Masterplan identifies a new public ‘boulevard’ for pedestrians and cyclists leading from the station to Corporation Street. Proposals include replacing the exsting A61 footbridge between the station area and Corporation Street with a new wider bridge.