HOPES have been dashed for campaigners aiming to stop an old pub in Farnborough from becoming a McDonalds after an inspection ruled it should not become a listed building.

A report by an independent historic buildings expert, commissioned by Rushmoor Borough Council, ruled that the Tumbledown Dick pub does not meet the criteria needed to become a listed building. This would have protected it from ‘out of character’ development such as the takeover by the fast food chain.

A campaign group of more than 1,700 people was set up to save the pub, affectionately known as the Tumbly, just days before news of the agreement between McDonalds and the current landowners, Bride Hall Investments, came to light.

Supporters hoped that the listed building review would create the barrier necessary to block the move. But the report into the pub’s heritage concluded that architectural interest was ‘absent’ and that any connections with ‘notable persons’ were ‘unsubstantiated’.

It called the building a ‘wholly typical mid-19th century public house’ which did not possess ‘sufficient architectural or historic interest’ for listing purposes.

Fran Beauchamp, of the Friends of the Tumbledown Dick committee, said the report’s verdict was ‘nonsense’ and that she has doubts about its accuracy.

“When I saw the report I was angry and upset – it is quite a blow for us,” she added.

“It says the building is worthless and ready to be demolished, which would be very worrying for us.

“They are saying it is not a heritage building, which is absolutely not the case. We have evidence in diaries and on maps. We are now in the process of requesting our own assessment to be carried out.”

She said Andrew Lloyd, chief executive of the council, had said he would help the group negotiate access to the pub with the owners in order to do conduct inspections.

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