Empty Buxton hotel given new lease of life as offices

The Devonshire Arms Hotel on Bakewell Road will now be converted into office space after High Peak Borough Council approved the application.

Applicant Ed Carley, of Oakland Farm Construction, said: “The current building is under-utilised and it has been used for general storage.

“The current condition requires modernising and enhancing to provide acceptable accommodation.”

The building has not been used as a public house for over 25 years and previously had planning permission back in 2002 to become office space but nothing was ever executed.

The Devonshire Arms Hotel, originally a corn mill, was a public house from the early 1800s until the 1990s.

The original location on the Turnpike road now the A6 was good for 19th Century travellers and provided a stop-over in the age of the horse and cart says Mr Carley.

During the 20th Century, its location remained viable as a mainly motoring drinking destination – being a couple of miles of generally un-walkable road from the town.

However, during the later part of the 20th century, increasing enforcement of illegal drinking and driving penalties reduced its appeal.

Mr Carley said in his design and access statement: “Robinson’s Brewery owned the pub from 1902 and in its latter years made efforts to maintain a viable open business.

“However, the changing economic and social climate led to closure as a public house in the late 1990s.

“Following this, the building remained empty for a number of years before it was damaged significantly by fire.”The current owner rebuilt the building but it remained empty for a number of years after.

Having exhausted other options over a period of over twenty years, the current owner re-visited the change of use previously agreed in 2002, and sees this as a viable option to make better use of the current building.

He said: “We will change the buildings' use to form office accommodation through re-use of the existing building and layout.

“The external changes will be minimal, being mainly a re-instated main entrance and an upgraded car park that follows Highway Authority advice to maximise visibility on entry and exit.”

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