TOPIC:

"A view from my dad is that he thinks a cheaper alternative (he has some experience with building work) with most of the benefits is that you could cut the pillar half way up, put a steel pillar on the top half with a nice wood top on the pillar. The removal of the top of the pillar would provide much better viewing, the wood top on the original bit would offer more space for glasses and the snug would remain mostly in its current form."

This is a very good suggestion from Streamline and is worth considering. It is also cheaper to do. Can I suggest that a nice bit of wrought ironwork or similar about 6" high be added all round the wooden top to stop glasses being knocked off the shelf?

Bushy,
What do you think of a half pillar as a compromise? I think it ticks quite a few box's: more space on the top of it for glass's and leaning space, lower cost, keeping the snug and also providing better viewing of bands. (I think the pillar would also be slightly slimmer as it would no longer need the shelves which stick out for glass's.

Fire first - I have double checked with Arron - we are fire compliant and there is more than one door between the bar and accommodation. Arron is meeting the fire officer soon and we are regularly assessed.

Pillar - I personally think this is a good proposal, and I believe you may have mentioned this to Arron.. I personally like the snug area and we are considering ways in keeping the snuggness which many like and allow better vision of the bands. I will take this suggestion forward.

Thanks for all the discussions

Streamline:

I don't think that making a proper pillar (as opposed to two holes in a wall) would necessarily be any cheaper than taking the whole thing away completely (the £5000 guesstimated is about right - the £20,000 was another red-herring to do with completely replacing the garden awnings).

Aside from holding up the original back wall of the pub, there are two Victorian bearings on that bit of wall which forms the pillar, and one of them is at an oblique angle. These beams support Arron's kitchen. The pub kitchen is within the original walls.

The ancient and original (1690-1700) back wall, being rubble in the main, is very thick - around 2 feet, which is why that pillar is so bulky. There would need to be a lot of steel-work involved if even only a thin pillar replaced that bit of original wall.

At the end of the day, I would be against taking out the bit of wall even if it was re-built in Victorian times, because it would destroy the cosy ambience by the bar-billiards table forever, and anything thinner than the 3 tons or so which are there now, just wouldn't have the same effect.

I asked my partner to do a bit of a sketch of what she thought a half pillar thing might look like, take a look

The second one is shaded with Towaho's wrought Iron side bits added on

Sorry for the pictures being sideways, frustratingly no matter how I adjust the photo's they show up sideways :/

Thanks for the info regarding the doors Clare.

I don't wish to be a pain but this is an important issue.

Can you confirm then that the door at the top of the stairs is another fire door and that there is no need for the door at the bottom to be a fire door at all?

It seems strange to me that the door at the bottom was installed as a fire door at some time in the past and that now it is no longer required.

There can be no doubt in anybodies mind that the integrity of the door has been compromised. I wonder what the fire officer has to say and it would be good to see his report on the subject.