City pub branded 'eyesore' over overflowing skip and rubbish

Kitchen appliances and swathes of debris now litter the site in St Phillips Road - to the fury of a local councillor.

Green Party councillor Lucy Galvin has implored the city council to have words with the pub owners to clean up the mess.

The pub in the East of the city, which is part of the Stonegate Group, was closed in December 2020 and has since been encased in corrugated metal sheeting.

It has sporadically been open since then with lights turned on at the pub on Wednesday night when the rubbish was spotted.

Ms Gavin, who represents the Nelson ward, said: "As a local councillor I am keen that the city council ask the owners of this pub to stop trashing the area.

Councillor Lucy Galvin with the boarded up Belle Vue pub in St Philips Road. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant 2021)

"People are not happy locally, the space is not being looked after - this is a valued bit of local heritage."

A spokeswoman for the Belle Vue said: "We are aiming to reopen the pub as soon as possible.

"A clean-up operation is under way to remove all rubbish from outside the pub.”

The councillor also believes the owners need to step up and support potential landlords to breathe new life into the watering hole.

She added: "People have become increasingly concerned about the derelict look of a much-loved local pub and I look forward to it being clean and tidy again."

Norwich City Council has been contacted for comment.

The pub dates back to the 19th century, having been first licensed in 1878, according to the Norfolk Pubs website.

It was taken over by the Ei Publican Partnership in 2017, which is now known as the Stonegate group.

In January 2019, the pub was threatened with closure after complaints over live music at the venue saw Norwich City Council review its licence.

The pub subsequently agreed to install noise-limiting measures.