Pub council bought for £1m to be auctioned at loss

A former pub bought for £1m by a Cornwall Council-owned firm is to be auctioned, with a guide price of £150,000.

The General Wolfe building on Bodmin Road, St Austell - bought in 2020 to provide emergency housing - has fallen into disrepair, a Cornwall Council meeting heard.

The council took full control of the building from its public services wing Corserv in 2022, only to find its refurbishment was not viable, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Made up of 13 vacant residential one and two-bedroom flats, the building will go under the hammer at Clive Emson Land and Property Auctioneers on Thursday, 7 May.

Last summer the council said it would cost an estimated £2.5m to refurbish the Grade II listed site.

Jack Yelland, Reform UK councillor for St Austell Central, told a council meeting the "historically significant asset" had "attracted antisocial behaviour" and reduced in value.

Councillor Tim Dwelly, Independent cabinet member for economic regeneration and investment, described the decision to buy the building as a "stupid thing to do".

Corserv said the listed status of the building was under review by the Department of Culture, Media & Sport but the sale would proceed.

The town's Labour MP, Noah Law, who campaigned to get the building back into use, welcomed the decision to auction it but said they were "not out of the woods" until the listing review was completed.

"Whilst I am hopeful the council will find a suitable buyer with a positive vision for the building, they need to prepare for all eventualities," he added.

A Corserv spokesperson said Historic England was contacted about the listed status prior to marketing and confirmed that the property can be sold while the review is under consideration.

"In light of that uncertainty, the decision was taken to proceed with marketing the property," they said.

"The auctioneer has been made fully aware that a listing assessment is ongoing."

The auction listing advises "due to the condition and safety concerns, internal viewings will be not be carried out".

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