Skip to content

Old pub to be demolished for Lidl parking spaces

Christian Barnett
Local Democracy Reporter
Google A light green coloured two storey building to the right of the street scene, with the words 'The Swan' written on the front. To the left is a Lidl supermarket, under a tall glass entrance shelterGoogle
Lidl says knocking down the 127-year-old former pub is vital to its store redevelopment plans

An historic pub will be demolished to make way for more supermarket parking spaces.

City of Wolverhampton Council has approved plans by Lidl to knock down the 127-year-old former Swan pub on High Street, Bilston, and replace it with 12 new parking spaces. The pub closed in 2021.

Lidl, which owns the pub site, proposes to demolish its neighbouring Bilston store and replace it with a new building, according to an application backed by planning officials in 2022.

Removing the pub as soon as possible was vital to Lidl as part of its revised development plans for the site, a council officers' report stated.

The Swan, which dates back to 1898, closed in 2021 because of dwindling sales and was then bought by the supermarket chain.

According to the council, the pub holds "little" heritage value.

Redevelopment plans for Bilston also include relocating Subway and the High Street's pharmacy to new units nearby.

A statement included with the approved application from 2022 said the supermarket building, which used to be a Co-op and was one of Lidl's first stores in the region, was "very dated".

A new modern, purpose-built food store would employ up to 40 staff, it added.

Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.