Stamford Hill, London – Plans to convert a pub into a synagogue for a strictly Orthodox community have been approved by councillors after a year-long battle to resolve the building’s future.
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The Swan pub in Stamford Hill, north London, closed in January after members of the Bobov community bought it for around £1 million.
Councillors granted change-of-use planning permission at a meeting on Wednesday night, despite a campaign by residents to stop the conversion going ahead.
The Bobov application for a 1,500 sq metre centre, which will include a shul, library and community offices, was supported by more than 850 people who wrote to Hackney Council backing the plans.
Around 600 of the letters came from members of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations.
Supporters wrote that the center would “significantly contribute to the wider public in Stamford Hill” and would improve the area “immensely” by “promoting safety and well-being”.
The council received 32 objections from neighbors and six others from people outside Hackney.
Their complaints included the loss of the pub as a community facility, the fear that the new building would only be available for use by the Jewish community, and increases in noise and traffic.
The new Bobov owners have already installed tenants in the upper floors of the pub to deter squatters.
Speaking at the meeting, Save the Swan campaigner Glyn Harries said: “The Swan was a viable 250-year-old pub. It was not a backstreet boozer. It was a unique venue where all people came together. Its loss will be a blow to the area.
“Our campaign was talking to the applicants about re-opening the pub as a community facility — but they rudely cut off contact with us.”
Bobov spokesman Solomon Goldman claimed to councillors that the turnover at the pub had dropped dramatically, forcing its closure.
In fact, the very distinct religious character of the area may have led to the Swan’s demise. Very few religious Jews, the primary local residents, used the pub, although occasionally some younger Charedim watched football there.
Mr Goldman accused objectors of being “anti-religion”.
He said: “A lot of pubs are shutting down because of the smoking ban and changing trends. We did not try to take the pub away from anyone. We want to live in peace with everyone.”
Supporting the move for change of use, architect James Parrit said the community centre could be used by people of all religions and claimed that part of the basement could be hired out for community functions.
Chanoch Kesselman, executive co-ordinator of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, said: “The Bobov shul is affiliated to the UOHC. Now that it will be a shul and a place of learning it’s going to raise the spiritual atmosphere of the area.
“The local Jewish community is very pleased that the Bobovs were tenacious with their application for this.”
Now there will be some real drinking-Kiddush style!
45 or 48?
The real bobov of course
Happy to hear somegood news, finnaly after so many bad news for us, nowwe need to open our schools here in BP.
Bobov45.Bobov 48 has the shul of 50 years in Stamford Hill
this will never be built, they don’t have the money to open there scholls here in NY
but this they got bought in the good times when dunner was alive, now they cant pay there employees for the longest time, they didnt open there cheder & school cause they dont have money & the melamdim & teachers are striking. so what do they have from winning???
46 and a half . Its in between both
They should make it into a kosher pub.
In London Bobov has plenty of donors to help them build the shul, and anyways, as soon as the din torah is over and 48 will have to give them millions of dollars. They won’t have any more money problems.
reply to #13
they ara opining evreything sunday b”h
till its not open I can’t take ur word for it. u know what I mean. this is not the first time we hear this kind of talk
don’t you know that scotch is 45 [ proof] as part of the settlement they promised free drinks for a year .then at least they will have a minyan
I wish for Bobov mazal tov & good luck for the future.
Sounds like the perfect place for a Bar Mitzvah.
As part of the scene and living in stamford hill all my life, I can relate to a public landmark like the “swan” , which has been there since 1759, is a shame and a sign of the changing demographics in the Hill
I walked past the swan every day twice including shabbosim and yomim tovim when I would need to pass by at least 5-6 times
I never received any anti Semitic or bigoted remarks from the drunken
patrons
I
never had the “zechus” to venture inside.
But one cannot be dismissive of the historical and nostalgic value it holds for many people
to claim ” anti religious” to the opposers lacks sensitivity to the many hundred of thousands of people that made weddings or celebratory parties there.
Just because a ruling works in your favour, it takes a bit of decency to be sensitive to the losing party and not cry “foul play ” and yidden haters” when there are MANY available buildings that could be bought and used as shuls and botei medrashim
and not one of the only existing landmarks of historical history ( which in other areas the council will do all to maintain it’s integrity and
historical value , even if no longer operative
in fact dare I say it might be as old as the original bobover dynasty itself.
So let’s not be to quick to condemn others as reshoum when I personally feel that the swan could and should be kept as a local landmark …..gasp!!!
And Bobov can buy the hundreds of other buildings defaulted through foreclosure or at a much reduced rate due to the depressed housing market
“vis es felt binyanum?”
thus is the only building bobov could buy?
Geographically it is no where near Egeeton rd and the original Bobov shteibel and mikveh
so even the arguement of expantion and broadening the present school/shul goes out the window
I woulld venture to say it’s a chilul hashem and senseless
lacking any sensitivity to the origins and original history associated with the building
farvos darf mein
oustzien der oigen?
Nor vebalt az men
Ken , heist man az man muz!
A very poor decision with a protracted law suit over a year , creating only unneccessary animosity and feintshaft far yidden
MIT a groiser chilul hashem
“swan” ri”p.. Or tenazba”h
Yossi S
Stamford hill
London England
#22
I left Stamford Hill many years ago, but I grew up around the corner from this pub! In fact I recognized the picture before I even read the article and knew exactly where it is! I have to admit though I always felt a little nervous walking by (as a girl maybe its dif. then a guy) but I can’t recall a single incident in all the years and times I walked by! (contrary to the flats on kyverdale/portland, I can regale u with stories of that place!!!) and I must admit I feel very nostalgic just looking at the picture! I never knew this building was that old, it should probably be landmarked!
Having said that, if owners sold the building, it probably wasn’t a very busy pub, not surprisingly, in this mostly orthodox neighborhood! The change of use is ok, but they should be required to keep the building intact and only change whats necessary to make it a shul etc. even if they add on the original building should stand!
Just to clarify.
This building was purchased in March of this year. Many months after R BZ Dunner Z”l passed away.
The New Bobov Cheder will be opening in Chesvan 5770.
They should go Maleh Maleh! BH Great for them!!!
EP
Stamford Hill
This sale closure and destruction of The Swan has been a disaster for all involved. All those who used this pub, and over any year that was hundreds, including charedim, have lost the ‘heart’ of their community. The Bobov45 have a building they can’t afford to renovate, and are leaving a semi derelict eyesore and the whole wider Stamford Hill Chasidic community has received enormous bad press for this scandal. The pub now lies semi derelict, and the plans for renovation show no sign of being implemented, in fact it is likely there never will be as there is no money to do so. So who is guilty? Clearly Punch Taverns who sold behind the backs of the locals, but also the two faced Soloman Goldman, who pathetically claimed the building was unused, then that he supported the campaign to save the pub but rode roughshod over the history and those who used this pub. But also Rabbi Ephraim Padwa, who organised 600 non Bobov45 to support this application to destroy the Swan. By this action he is guilty of bringing into disrepute the whole Stamford HIll chassidic community when in fact only Bobov45 are really to blame.