CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Group is appealing to experienced pub owners and operators to consider taking on the Star Inn, Netherton before its marketing period comes to an end.
The Star Inn, Netherton. Photograph: Michael Slaughter
Currently advertised on Rightmove, the Star Inn is the sole pub in a rural village and boasts features of truly outstanding heritage importance. It closed in 2023 due to the ill-health of the landlady.
It is described by Historic England as a “rare example of a modest and largely unaltered Edwardian public house of great character” and is especially notable for its simplicity of layout and fittings.
The pub has spacious upstairs accommodation and outbuildings, plus extensive gardens and grounds. The group is concerned that greedy developers might only have eyes for its potential for conversion, noting that Rightmove is not a specialised platform to market pubs.
There are fears that if the premises has not found a buyer during the marketing period, then a planning application for redevelopment could be submitted, leading to this historic gem being potentially lost forever.
“Entering Netherton’s only pub is like stepping back in time, with parts of the current building dating back to the 19th century,” said Paul Ainsworth, chair of CAMRA’s Pub Heritage Group. “Losing such a treasure would not only strike yet another blow against our ever-depleting national pub heritage, but deprive the Netherton community, present and future, of a social hub that has served them for generations.
“The Star Inn is listed, but the clock is ticking. If there is no buyer, the planners might well approve a change of use, even though this is a time when the constant haemorrhaging of our nation’s pubs is causing huge public concern.”
Netherton lies at the heart of rural Northumberland, with the National Trust’s renowned visitor magnet of Cragside only 14 miles away. A new operator would be well-placed to take advantage of the region’s booming tourism scene.
“A thriving pub that is also a heritage attraction in itself could drive more footfall and invigorate the whole area even more,” added Ainsworth.
