Favourite pub is safe - council

Sep 6 2005 By Poppy Brady, Evening Mail

REGULARS raised a glass to the future of their favourite pub today after time was finally called on rumours of demolition.

Harborne people feared that the White Horse, in York Street, would be bulldozed to create extra space for the Clock Tower community education centre next door.

The old lease stated that the city could take back the pub site if it was required for education purposes, but the council says there are no such plans.

Regular Ron Hill, who organises Harborne carnival, said: "There was deep concern, especially when we saw education officials sizing up the pub.

"Our fears were compounded by the fact that it was taking so long to renew the lease. We wrote to Coun Mike Whitby, who is an occasional drinker here, and we've now been told the pub's future is secure."

Fellow regular Paul Stringer, a retired licensee, said: "The White Horse is the only proper pub left in Harborne and it's also the unofficial boardroom for the carnival committee."

A city council spokeswoman-said: "The lease has been renewed recently without the addition of the clause regarding educational pur- poses."

A spokeswoman for pub owner the Spirit Group said it was waiting to sign a new lease, but was confident this was a formality.

"We hope to operate the White Horse pub for many years to come," she said.