Sadness over demolition of former Stormy Petrel pub in Tern Hill
The demolition of a former thriving pub near Market Drayton has been met with sadness from residents.
People in Market Drayton say they are disappointed the former Stormy Petrel pub off the A41 in Tern Hill is being torn down.
Despite receiving planning permission to turn it into a new restaurant and retail unit, owner Bal Singh said he still hasn't fully decided what he wants to do with the site and is keen to know residents' thoughts.
Commenting on the Drayton Crier Facebook page, Lee Orme said: "What a shame, was a nice building."
Dawn Garrett posted: "A sad day indeed. Spent many nights in there playing darts."
Ian Burns said: "Problem with that building is it needed a lot of money spent on it. I remember it looking run down badly and doesn't surprise me why it was knocked down.
"It could of been made into good restaurant but I guess it needed a lot of money spent on it."
Dale Griffiths said: "Had my very first pint in there with my dad when I was 14."
Lesley McKee added: "Had some great nights out here. Another one of our pubs gone."
Demolition work has been carried out on the building, which has been closed for a number of years and has previously been on the market for £475,000.
Mr Singh said: "We have got no final plans of what we are going to do. We are still thinking about what to do with it.
"We are just flattening it down for the time being.
"We will be taking advice and taking views from local people about what they think should be done with it."
The building was closed in August 2010 when it was sold for £295,000 to developers who were hoping to convert it into a hotel.
But it was put back on the market in September 2012 for £475,000.
About four years ago it was bought by businessman Mr Singh who said he was prepared to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds to give it a new lease of life.
In 2014 Shropshire Council approved plans to demolish the pub and create a new restaurant and retail unit on the site.
But the plans sparked a petition signed by 387 people against the demolition of the pub, which requested that it be refurbished into a family pub.
The pub, which was built in the 1930s, was once popular for bikers who used the car park for meets.
