THE property firm behind a bid to redevelop a much-loved pub in Holloway has hit out at former customers for “intruding” on the sales process by picketing an open day.

Campaigners have not given up on their fight to reopen the Admiral Mann, off Brecknock Road. To show the “strength of local feeling” they held peaceful protests last month during viewings for potential buyers.

Owner Woodham Properties has put the pub on the market, and is challenging Camden Council’s rejection of its plans to redevelop the building and build six flats.

A public inquiry will now be held where a government planning inspector will rule on whether the council was right to refuse the scheme.

The plans would see the pub retained but campaigners from Save the Admiral Mann, which secured an asset of community value (ACV) listing for the pub, argued it would be too small and the flats would make it “unfeasible”.

In a statement supporting the planning appeal, Woodham Properties’ agent Genesis Architects said: “My client is now engaged in an open-market process and the nominators have sought to intrude upon that by way of protesting at the open-day event.”

The Save the Admiral Mann campaigners were “abusing” the ACV listing process because they had not put in a bid to buy the property, the appeal added.

But Richard Lewis, from Save the Admiral Mann, said the picket line outside the open day was “cordial”, adding: “We went down to the open day peacefully and held up signs to show the strength of feeling locally, and to show we’re not going away

• Keywords
  PUBLIC HOUSES, PROTEST, REDEVELOPMENT SCHEMES
• Geographical keyword
  BRECKNOCK ROAD
• Persons keyword
  Hargrave Place Admiral Mann Public House, Woodham Properties, Camden Council