News / Victoria Street
New lease of life for historic pub
The redevelopment of a drab 1970s office building could transform the setting of a pub that remains one of Bristol’s best-kept secrets.
Canningford House could become new office space for 700 employees.
But more excitingly, a major pub courtyard redesign hopes to bring a new lease of life to the Cornubia, which dates back to 1775 but for years has been marooned among concrete.
is needed now More than ever
A historic thoroughfare known as Long Row will also be re-established as a pedestrian route linking Victoria Street and Temple Street.
There will be space for cafes and restaurants on its ground floor, with developers likening its planned covered walkway entrance to Hawkins Lane at Finzels Reach, with it opening up to a large landscaped courtyard with the Cornubia at its centre.
The Cornubia was originally built in 1775 as shop units for a wig-maker and is one the few buildings in the area to have survived the bombings of the Second World War – photo: Martin Booth
Stride Treglown director Tristan Rhodes said that “the design approach to the pedestrian connection has been carefully considered”.
He said: “We’ve introduced a double height space, framed by carefully designed arch-like fins or ribs, making it an intriguing pedestrian route which will help encourage people to walk through to the Cornubia and Temple Street from Victoria Street.
“The setback of the building line at the ground floor of the Victoria Street frontage will also naturally draw people into the newly reinstated Long Row, which will be delineated with a darker, rubble pennant stone colour finish, with some intermittent lights within the floor to make it a safe and inviting space to walk through at night.
“The ground floor of the Victoria Street frontage will be framed by a bold, solid surround that will be finished in a grey rubble pennant stone.
“It will complement the lighter, ‘middle body’ of the upper floors, which are to be finished in modern, light coloured material – a modern interpretation of traditional byzantine style buildings found with in Bristol.
“This approach to materiality is found within significant Bristol buildings such as The General and The Carriage Works, and would, as an overall design composition, add architectural interest, preserving and enhancing the immediate setting of Redcliffe Conservation Area and the Cornubia pub.”
Developers hope that the redevelopment of Canningford House will open up the space to Temple Street, “creating a vibrant and buzzing public space” set around the Cornubia pub – image: BBRE
Developers Boultbee Brooks Real Estate (BBRE) hope to submit a planning application to Bristol City Council later this summer.
For more information and to take part in a consultation about the plans, visit www.canningfordhouseconsultation.co.uk
Main image: BBRE
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