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Old Owl

Old Owl club

Posted: 19 Feb 2021

Taken: 09 Apr 2016

23 favorites     21 comments    146 visits

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146 visits

Silent

Silent
Happy Fence Friday, everyone.

Once the best place for live trad jazz in Wakefield, this pub (The Wakefield Arms) has been empty since 2003. Because it is a grade II listed building it can't be demolished. I seem to recall hearing that it was built of Portland cement, which was invented by Joseph Aspdin, a Wakefield man, in the 1820s and was one of the very few buildings of its type in existence. I spent many happy hours drinking there.

I took this in April 2016, but the Wakey Arms is still there and in the same condition.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

William (Bill) Armstrong, Berny, tiabunna, Gabi Lombardo and 19 other people have particularly liked this photo

21 comments - The latest ones
 Annemarie
Annemarie club
HFF

Happy weekend, stay safe:)
3 years ago.
 Trudy Tuinstra
Trudy Tuinstra club
HFF, wel shown
3 years ago.
 Damir
Damir
HFF et belle journée
3 years ago.
 Marie-claire Gallet
Marie-claire Gallet
It should be restored !!! HFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 years ago.
 Gudrun
Gudrun club
Such a beauiful building in such a sad state! I wonder whether the owners just wait until it's so unsafe that it has to be pulled down in spite of being listed...
HFF and a good, safe weekend!
3 years ago.
Old Owl club has replied to Gudrun club
Apparently there are plans to turn it into a block of flats!
3 years ago.
 Annaig56
Annaig56 club
oh jolie cette photo on dirait une carte postale ancienne,, excellent week end pour vous
3 years ago.
 Diana Australis
Diana Australis club
HFF to this sad venue!
3 years ago.
 Herb Riddle
Herb Riddle club
Hi. We too have quite a few places like this in Oldham. More memorable for their past ambiance than any architectural brilliance as you imply. Looks a mess now really, a great pity that it cannot be renovated as original and re-opened. The same goes for a lot of other buildings too I suppose. Thanks for sharing.

HFF, have a great weekend. Herb
3 years ago.
Old Owl club has replied to Herb Riddle club
Thanks, Herb. There'd be no point in renovating it as a pub. That part of Wakefield has few families who would appreciate such a place. Its time has gone. The working class community of such towns moved out to the suburbs years ago where they drink at home with cheap beer bought from the supermarket.
3 years ago.
 Steve Paxton
Steve Paxton club
Its sad when we see the past fall to bits like this. I can imagine it in its hay day, HFF hope you enjoy your new freedom.
3 years ago.
 Steve Bucknell
Steve Bucknell club
“We’re On A Roll”... looks like it’s downhill...but I always enjoy a trip to Wakefield, the Hepworth is wonderful, the Cathedral is well worth a visit.
3 years ago.
Old Owl club has replied to Steve Bucknell club
I fear it's almost at the bottom now, Steve. You're right about the Hepworth, though; an amazing gallery. The sculpture park at Bretton's not bad either. I haven't been in the cathedral since they took all the pews out and replaced them with chairs. I got married there, lo these many years ago and my sons were choir scholars. I fear it'll be many years before I can visit the old town again.
3 years ago.
 Roger (Grisly)
Roger (Grisly) club
A change of lifestyles has brought the end to many pubs just like this, it's sad to see but the world moves on although I do hope it finds a new use like so many have,
Nice capture, HFF and a good weekend
3 years ago.
 Andy Rodker
Andy Rodker club
I fear it's the same the world over. There were some characterful bars in Spain that I once knew and frequented but many went a while back when the Madrid authorities put up all business rates by a factor of stonking proportions and, of course, more recently with covid. It seems sad that the ones to survive are the characterless and samey ones in the national chains.
3 years ago. Edited 3 years ago.
 Tanja - Loughcrew
Tanja - Loughcrew club
Schade um dieses schöne Pub...ich bin mir sicher, die Sessions dort drin waren legendär...
Auch bei uns sterben die schönen kleinen Gasthäuser aus...
HFF Dir und bleib gesund !
3 years ago.
 Dimas Sequeira
Dimas Sequeira club
Precarious stability of abandoned building justifies the fence. HFF!
3 years ago.
 William Sutherland
William Sutherland club
Excellent urban decay capture! HFF! Stay well!

Admired in:
www.ipernity.com/group/tolerance
3 years ago.
 Annalia S.
Annalia S.
One can still see its old fashioned charm even in its present sad state of neglect ...

Belated HFF, Old Owl!
3 years ago.
 slgwv
slgwv club
Too bad no one's restored it!
3 years ago.
 Laura Perinelli
Laura Perinelli
Meriterebbe di essere restaurato e ritornare ad essere un edificio per la musica o altro di interessante per i giovani! Ciao Buona giornata - Laura
2 years ago.

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