TWO pubs besieged by trouble in the past have been sold for a combined fee of nearly £2million – but plans for their futures remain a mystery.
The iconic Wealdstone Inn (pictured), at the junction of Long Elmes and High Road, Harrow Weald, is thought to have gone for near to its £800,000 guide, while The Masons Arms on the A5 Edgware Road sold for about £1.15m. They had been closed in recent months and after they were put up for sale 31 separate parties attended three open viewings.
Andy Frisby, of Fleurets, who handled the sales, said: “After a number of bids the successful purchaser exchanged contracts within 24 hours of receipt of legal documentation. In the short term, both properties are likely to stay as licensed businesses with a view of development at a later date.”
The Wealdstone Inn, previously owned by Punch Taverns, came on to the market in late February and has been boarded up from the inside since at least Friday, April 27.
It is not known who bought it and while Fleurets said the buyer’s initial plan was to keep it as a pub or restaurant, it is not a listed building and the proprietors could seek planning permission to convert it into houses.
The Masons Arms is not listed either and faces a similarly unknown future.
Police raided the Wealdstone Inn in March last year and in February 2010. Both times drinkers were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs. It was threatened with having its licence revoked last year, but it remains in place for the new owners.
Although the Masons Arms was also raided in 2010 in a crackdown on the sale of stolen Asian gold, there was no sign of wrongdoing on the site, but a number of incidents were reported to the police in 2009.
Gary Owens, 48, of Uxbridge Road, Harrow Weald, said: “The Wealdstone Inn has definitely had some issues in the past and I think a lot of people would intentionally steer clear of the pub.
“Hopefully someone can come in and turn around its fortunes. It would be a crying shame to see it turned into something else.”
