This site is a whole city block, the Tudor Gothic Revival style Grade II listed former Coroner’s Court faces Backfields to the south. The locally listed Lakota Club (the Bottle Works) is at 46 Upper York Street. Moon Street runs at their back, parallel to Stokes Croft. The court building has been unused for years; the Bottle Works is under-used. Both buildings are heritage assets that are falling into disrepair and need significant investment.
The Society supports the proposal to convert both buildings and to extend the Bottle Works to develop a heritage-led scheme of 54 new one and two-bed starter homes, with some ground-floor employment space. The former Court has few external alterations but has been extensively modified internally. The Conservation Area Appraisal suggests that ‘an appropriate use and sensitive restoration is needed to secure the building’s future’.
The Lakota Club will close because sale to another operator has not succeeded. The Bottle Works is a local landmark. The proposal would insert commercial use on the Upper York Street ground floor to create more street level activity. The new south extension would be subservient to the Bottle Works and frame the south-facing open amenity space along backfields. Development would add a floor to the Bottle Works. This city centre development would have no car parking. The Society has suggested improvements to the junction of Moon Street and Backfields. Development would not begin until the Lakota closes; until then, it will be business as usual.
Bristol Civic Society full response [PDF, 146KB]
Update January 2019 – The developer has applied for planning permission which the Society will support.
John Frenkel
The loss of a night venue for adults to play like the Lakota is a sad thing. I only hope similar such spaces can be found to replace this ideal venue. People need this outlet to help them survive modern urban life!