Once-popular South Shields pub to become shop after plans approved

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for The Jolly Steward site in the borough’s Harton ward.

Plans from One Stop Stores Limited, a major retail convenience business, were submitted earlier this year in a bid to change part of the site at Fulwell Avenue into a retail use.

A planning application submitted to council officials described the site as a “vacant former public house” and noted the new development would create jobs, including three full-time employees and 10 part-time roles.

The development aimed to convert the pub into a retail shop with ancillary staff residential accommodation to the first floor, alterations to the building’s elevations, new ramp structures at entrances and a new air conditioning and refrigeration plant to the rear.

Proposed external alterations to the building included new windows, doors, ramps and signage, as well as “infilling” some windows and doors.

A total of 14 car parking spaces were also proposed, including three resident car parking spaces, two staff parking spaces and nine customer car parking spaces (including two disabled parking bays), along with four cycle spaces.

During a council consultation exercise on the plan, a single objection was submitted from CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) about the loss of the pub as a ‘community asset’ and campaigners said there was “no justification” from developers on this issue.

The CAMRA representation, included in a council report, added: “If running the Jolly Stewart as a public house is currently ‘unviable’ for the current owner, could it be viable for another operator?

“Change of use should only be considered once meaningful attempts to market this community facility as a going concern have been made, at a realistic market price, for a suitable length of time and following suitable consultation with the local community.”

A petition with seven signatories was also submitted to the council in support of the shop conversion proposal, describing the development as a “welcome addition to the wider community”.

The petition said that the proposal would “not result in a significant increase in traffic to the area due to the close walking proximity the shop’s location will provide”.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it on December 13, 2024.

Council planners, in a council decision report, said The Jolly Steward pub had “stopped trading and the land is no longer being used”.

The report added the planning agent for the proposed shop had provided a statement “outlining the necessity of the application site [and] stating that other premises were looked at in South Shields”.

However, it was said that other properties did “not offer the required floor space, parking or secure gated yard for vehicle / equipment storage, nor did they have 24-hour vehicle access to allow loading / unloading of stock and equipment”.

Council planners noted the proposed shop would “serve a primarily local catchment” and that the gross floorspace proposed was “modest in size and reflective of the size of unit likely to be suited to a small convenience store serving a local catchment”.

The council decision report added: “It is considered that the sequential test is satisfied in this instance and that there would be no significant harm to the vitality and viability of the borough’s defined centres subject to a condition restricting the range of goods that can be sold from the premises to primarily convenience goods only.

“Furthermore, the proposal would result in the re-use of a currently vacant building and would provide social and economic benefits (such as additional jobs) to the immediate vicinity and wider borough.

“In this regard it should be noted that there have been untidy land complaints received by the council relating to the site and therefore bringing the site back into use is considered a positive outcome.

“Concerns regarding the loss of a public house are noted. However, there are other public houses and catering establishments in the wider local area and the site is not included on the council’s register of assets of community value.”

Council planners also said the plans would be acceptable in terms of design, highway safety and deliveries and that there would be no “unacceptable impacts on the amenities or privacy of the occupiers of any neighbouring properties.”

Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.

Proposed opening hours for the shop at the site will be 7am-10pm, seven days a week.

For more information on the plan or to track its progress, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0505/24/FUL