Plans unveiled to demolish landmark former pub and replace it with a drive-thru Greggs

Plans to demolish a former pub in Stockport and build a drive-thru Greggs have been unveiled. The owners of what was the Farmers Arms in Cheadle Heath are seeking permission to flatten it and replace it with a new branch of the high-street bakery.

However, concerns have already been raised about its proximity to a school and the effect on traffic at what is a busy junction.

The once popular former boozer on the corner of Stockport Road and Edgeley Road, which is a local landmark, closed its doors following the onset of the pandemic and never re-opened.

READ MORE: Stockport County fan gets tattoo of favourite footballer on his thigh - days before he signs for another club

Brewery Greene King are now applying for planning permission to demolish the now derelict building, which they say has become a target for vandals. They would replace it with the new eatery which it is claimed will bring 35 new jobs and "return it to a vibrant and beneficial use."

According to documents submitted with the application, the pub was placed on the market in the summer of 2019 "following a sustained period of poor trading performance." No offers have been received since regarding continuing to run it as a pub Greene King said.

They say since its closure in March 2020 the derelict building has "been a sustained target for vandalism and anti-social behaviour despite the applicant’s best interests to secure the site" and that its "ongoing vacancy and the building’s continued decay significantly and adversely impacts the character of Cheadle Heath Local Centre."

The Manchester Evening News reported earlier in January this year that Greggs had been investing more and more into its drive-thru business and had around nine drive-thru restaurants