The Crown is being demolished ahead of a £60million town centre revamp with new flats planned. Castle Point Council is knocking down the pub, in High Street, Hadleigh, and is replacing it with 60 homes.

The site had been home to a pub since 1769, before closing in 2009, making it on of town’s most historic buildings, after Hadleigh Castle and St James the Less Church.

Norman Smith, Tory leader of Castle Point Council said: “The plan is still the same and we will build homes on that area. “It will be about 60 new homes and I am pleased to see it going through as it’s been a bit of a saga, but now we can get it done.”

More than 100 residents commented on social media about the demolition, with some raising concerns about the development.

Bob Moore: “It was an inn and tavern for nearly 250 years but more generic flats are what all these historic buildings become these days. “Sadly pubs don’t get used these days, so they are worth more to developers than communities. “I am worried the town can’t cope with more homes.

The council has been planning to revamp Hadleigh town centre for almost a decade, with the plan originally being formulated before the 2012 London Olympics.

Mr Smith previously said he’s determined to regenerate this part of the town and there are a few possible scenarios being considered.

Plans were submitted to convert the building into a restaurant but these were refused by the council in July 2009.

https://www.hadleighhistory.org.uk/content/main-subjects/places/place/the_crown_hotel_hadleigh