CREWE is set to miss out as a location for a nationwide expansion by JD Wetherspoon.

The popular pub chain shuttered its Victoria Street premises, The Gaffers Row, in early 2018 and the building has since been demolished as part of the Royal Arcade town centre redevelopment.

The company announced in March last year that it was embarking on a 10-year pub project which would see £750m invested in opening 15 new pubs each year.

But the pub giant has confirmed that Crewe is not among the towns it will be considering initially to target that growth.

Developers Peveril Securities have detailed how the second phase of the Royal Arcade scheme - which received outline planning permission from Cheshire East Council in September last year - is planning to attract a number of restaurants/pubs.

A Nub News poll showed more than 50 per cent of residents believe the scheme will revive Crewe's town centre.

Attracting major chains to the site, such as the pub giant, could be key to the success when the retail/leisure use of the site is completed by 2025 – but it looks like JD Wetherspoon will not be among them.

JD Wetherspoon spokesperson Eddie Gershon said: "Wetherspoon isn't considering any sites in Crewe at present. That might change over the next 10 years."

The nearest JD Wetherspoon pubs to Crewe are at Sandbach, Winsford, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Congleton.

The Gaffers Row, was left standing initially following town centre demolition (Photo: Google).

The pub's former premises closed along with other retail outlets along Victoria Street and Queensway ahead of the demolition of buildings, including the former town clock, Big Bill, to make way for the redevelopment scheme.

Weekend trade, in particular, dropped off markedly in the months before closure.

Separate planning permission was required from the borough council in order that demolition of the former pub building on the corner of Victoria Street and the Charles Street approach to Crewe Bus Station could go ahead.

It had been left standing for a short period after the demolition of the shopping row early last year (2021) as planning rules for general demolition work exclude public houses.

The empty site after demolition.

Preparatory work on the Royal Arcade scheme started last month with archaeological investigations on the bus station site. More are planned in coming weeks ahead of demolition of the whole area including station buildings and empty bus depot.

Shortly before it was demolished the derelict JD Wetherspoon pub attracted a visit from an urban explorer who captured a series of revealing photographs (below) of its decline more than two-and-a-half years after it pulled its last pint and hosted its last Curry Night.

These pictures are courtesy of GRONK a member of 28dayslater.co.uk

*Nub News does not support urban exploration as the activity carries the obvious personal dangers of entering derelict buildings, as well as legal issues, among them trespass.