Bittersweet goodbyes for the Swan as historic pub closes down

Following the council's controversial decision to approve a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on the Swan, the Corporation Street pub served its final pints last month, bringing its long and boozy story to a close.

Although the decision provoked fury with many of the pub's regulars, the council has said it is necessary to bulldoze the building to make space for a new and improved bus station ahead of the town centre's £90m regeneration plans.

With a public inquiry rubberstamping the CPO last August, there had been calls to delay the pub's closure until construction begins on the new bus station, but with these pleas rejected, the Swan closed for the final time on Friday, September 27.

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Angela Hindley has worked and lived above the pub for 15 years (Image: St Helens Star) Speaking about the pub's final days, landlady Angela Hindley said: "The past few weeks were surreal because I was keeping a business running at the same time as I was getting ready for it closing down.

"It's such a shame because there was a real community at the Swan, where people young and old would come in and chat, but that's been broken now.

"It's the older generation I feel the most for, because some have been coming in here for most of their lives, and they have said they are not going to drink anywhere else.

"I've seen a few of them wandering around town and it's really sad."

Some of the Swan's regulars say that they will not drink anywhere else (Image: St Helens Star) Although Angela asked if the Swan could remain open until work started on the new bus station, the council said it had to take ownership of the building by October 2024 due to the conditions of the lease and a General Vesting Declaration that was made in accordance with the CPO.

However, this decision has only caused more upset for the Swan's regulars as construction of the new station is only set to begin in Spring 2025, after the temporary bus station has been completed on Chalon Way West.

It was an emotional goodbye for the Swan's regulars on the pub's final day (Image: St Helens Star) "A lot of the regulars are not happy about this decision, because they can't see an issue with the pub staying open until work on the new station starts", Angela added.

"It's sad because the pub is going to sit empty for months, and some of them have questioned the decision to create a green space behind the Gamble building, because this extra space could have been left around the Swan.

"With the delays that went on with the Hardshaw Centre, a lot of them thought that we would have longer in the pub, and I think a lot of them just can't believe that it has actually happened."

Angela says she is taking some time off after the pub's closure (Image: St Helens Star) While Angela hopes that the council's regeneration plans succeed in turning the town's fortunes around, and admitted that she sees some faults with the current bus station, she said it will be a difficult and different Christmas not spending it at the Swan.

And although the landlady has had an offer to take on another pub, she admitted that she needs to take some time off after a stressful few years and the recent loss of her son.

Angela added: "It's going to be really hard this Christmas because for 15 years I have been hosting Christmas parties and celebrating it with all of our regulars.

"It's not just a pub, it's a way of life because I've always worked in pubs and you never stop. And it's been a community for our regulars who came to drink, socialise, and keep warm."

The Swan has closed for the final time in St Helens town centre