Farewell to the Jellicoe as pub is demolished

The former pub is set to be transformed into 40 flats, but demolition was halted by the council in June after it emerged developers, Branch Company Ltd, did not have proper permission for the work.

Just weeks later, in early August, the pub was involved in a large blaze – with the fire service stating the building was too badly damaged and unstable to investigate fully and find a cause.

And this week, developers returned to the site to continue the demolition.

Castle Point Council has confirmed developers do now have permission to bulldoze the area.

But residents are still sad to see it go, marking the end of an era.

Joan Thomas, 56, of Long Road, said: “It is a real shame because the building is iconic, it has been there as long as everyone on the island remembers.

“We have all known for a long time now it is going to go, but it is still sad. At least things are being done properly this time, and everything has full permission.

“It definitely left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth when demolition started, and it turned out the developer was not even allowed. I still think it is a shame the building isn’t remaining, they could have worked with it like at the King Canute.”

Although it is unclear how long the Admiral Jellicoe has been on the island, it dates back to at least the early 1940s.

It initially closed in January 2017, and a demolition notice was placed on the site in January 2018.

The pub was set to be totally demolished and replaced with 40 flats and a row of shops by Branch Company Ltd.

Plans for the development were approved in December and hoardings were placed around the site.

However in June, Castle Point Council issued a stop notice to the developers who had begun to knock the building down.

That demolition was pushed back with the council insisting it needed proper permission.

A spokesman for the council said: “A demolition notice has been submitted which has been approved by the council’s building control service.”