King's Lynn future for Lattice House pub which has connections to St Nicholas' Chapel?
Bar Man by Jeff Hoyle
The Lattice House in Lynn has an illustrious past, dating back to at least 1487 when it was bequeathed by a merchant to St Nicholas' Chapel.
The timber framed building’s exterior is matched by interior details such as the piscina, by the door on the South West side, probably once part of the nearby Augustinian Priory, and medieval wall paintings dating from around 1700. Originally shops and dwellings, the building first became a pub in about 1714, a use that continued until 1919. The building was sold to West Norfolk council in 1975 and when I moved to Lynn in 1980, it was in a sorry state, but was soon refurbished and acquired by CAMRA Investments, a separate company linked to the Campaign for Real Ale which specialised in taking on important pubs under threat and running them as commercial businesses.
Opening in 1982, this was the last of the half dozen pubs that they took on and it was not long before the company and the Lattice House were purchased by Midsummer Inns, the first of several changes of ownership before the Wetherspoon years.
Like the other operators, Wetherspoon’s didn’t last very long and there have been several attempts since to turn a profit, all seemingly unsuccessful as a sign is out offering potential landlords the chance to try their luck.
So, what are the problems any new tenants will face?
Anyone with an interest in pubs is likely to have noticed the change in interior layout that has become fashionable over recent years. Gone are the small rooms and great open spaces have been created instead. Look at the refurbishment of Gaywood’s White Horse for example. This makes it easier to supervise the customers and also reduces the number of staff needed.
The Lattice House has two small downstairs bars and one upstairs with numerous separate drinking areas, a staff intensive and hard to supervise layout. Not only is the outside of the building listed, but also much of the interior, making it all but impossible to rationalise the layout from the management perspective.
The other great challenge is the Globe. A few hundred yards away is a Wetherspoon’s Hotel with a capacity of around a thousand customers. The beer and food are both so cheap that undercutting them on price seems impossible, and all recent attempts have failed. True, the refurbished Maids Head seems to have cracked the problem, but they have the advantage of outside seating on the Market Place and specialise in showing sport.
What strategy could new tenants of the Lattice employ? Clearly, they have to offer something different. Recently it was rebranded as Bishops of Chapel Street and an attempt was made to move it up market and provide quality food.
My experience was not very positive and perhaps the concept could be implemented more effectively. There seems to be a demand for good food in Lynn, as has been shown by the new Purfleet Brasserie. Decent food, great beer and excellent service, is that the future for the Lattice?
It might work, but with stories of 70% of the country’s pubs in danger of closure due to energy bills, the cost of living and staff shortages, it would be a risk. Still, if the risk is not taken, what happens to the building?
Another descent into dereliction? Conversion to housing? Listing might pose a problem but there is a precedent for residential use prior to 1714.
Clearly, I would love to see the Lattice House become a successful pub once again but whatever happens, the building needs to be saved from a long, slow decline.