An East Lancashire council has started High Court proceedings against the owners of a historic pub who illegally demolished it.

Ribble Vally Council has commenced the proceedings against Donelan Trading Limited, Andrew Donelan and Nicola Donelan, the owners of the Punch Bowl Inn in Hurst Green.

The Grade-II listed pub was unlawfully demolished in 2021, and in December 2022 Andrew, Nicola and Rebeca Donelan, David Cotterell and Brian Ingleby were found guilty.

In March 2023, they were fined a total of more than £22,000, which plus costs totalled more than £70,000 for the illegal demolition,

The council is seeking an injunction requiring Donelan Trading Limited, Andrew Richard Donelan and Nicola Donelan, to comply with a listed building enforcement notice.

The Donelans left the Grade-II listed pub a pile of rubbleThe Donelans left the Grade-II listed pub a pile of rubble (Image: SWNS)

If granted, the injunction will require the defendants to rebuild the pub.

Councillor Sue Bibby, chair of the council’s planning and development committee, said: “From the outset we have tried to work with the owners of the Punch Bowl to achieve a sensitive restoration of this landmark building to its former state.

“Regrettably, at every turn, they have frustrated our efforts to resolve this matter, despite being given plenty of time to remediate the situation.

“As there has been no attempt to break ground, we now have no alternative but to seek injunctive relief through the High Court.”

Andrew, top, and Nicola DonelanAndrew, top, and Nicola Donelan (Image: Katherine Turner / Lancashire Telegraph)

Following a decision by the Planning Inspectorate in March 2023, to uphold an enforcement notice issued by the council, the company was given a year in which to rebuild the inn.

The deadline to do so expired in March this year, without any work having been started.

In May 2023, the Donelans submitted plans to rebuild the pub, but to be operated as holiday lets rather than as a pub, claiming its use as a pub was "not economically viable".

The Punch Bowl Inn dates from 1720 and is said to have been visited by the highwaymen Dick Turpin and Ned King in 1738. 

Failure to comply with a High Court injunction requiring it to be rebuilt may amount to contempt of court.