Holly Bush Inn - Seighford: Pub History, Publicans, Photographs

The Holly Bush Inn was a former beer house that lasted until 2010 when the building was sold and subsequently converted into an Indian restaurant called Spice Bazaar. The box-frame cottage is thought to have been built in 1675. In the 1964 photograph above the pub was being operated by Ind Coope. © Copyright. Images supplied by Digital Photographic Images.		1940 - Oliver Bromley If you have a genealogy story or query regarding this pub you can contact me and I will post it here in addition to including your message within the website pages for Staffordshire Genealogy. "There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.” Samuel Johnson		"An Indian restaurant has fallen foul of a sign of the times - or seven of them to be exact. For councillors have deemed the signs at the Spice Bazaar near Stafford to be inappropriate for the former village inn that dates from the 17th century. They have now voted to take enforcement action to get the unsuitable "non-historic" signs removed. Stafford Borough Council's development control committee voted 10-1 in favour of taking action up to court proceedings to get the seven signs taken down at the restaurant in Main Road, Seighford. Senior planning officer Matt Ellis said inappropriate materials had been used for the signs on the former Holly Bush Inn which is a Grade II listed building. “They are covering up the historic features,” he said. The signs including three illuminated ones, two non-illuminated and two banner signs. Only Councillor Geoff Collier spoke in favour of the signs, saying he could see nothing wrong with the name signs at either gable. “I can’t see those signs are detrimental,” he added. The Holly Bush Inn was converted into an Indian restaurant last year after being bought by Rois Miah, who also owns the Balti Bazaar in Lye near Stourbridge. Letters requesting an advertisement consent application and application for listed building consent be submitted for the illuminated and non-illuminated signs were sent out by the council. The listed building application was refused in January because the acrylic materials used are non-historic with flat reflective surfaces that detract from the historic timber and painted brickwork. Advertisement consent was also refused on the same grounds. The owner has not removed the signs and the two additional signs have also been put up and a request for a fresh application for an alternative scheme for the signs has been ignored. The timber-framed building was listed in May last year. The oak wall structure has handmade red brick nogging panels and the roof structure is oak. Many of the roof timbers are still the original 17th century ones. The Holly Bush Inn was built in 1675, probably as a dwelling, but possibly originally serving as a house incorporating a beer house." "Signs of trouble in store for restaurant" by John Corser in Express and Star August 12th 2011 © Copyright. Image supplied by Express and Star		Staffordshire Places Alton Amblecote Barton-u-Needwood Bilston Blackheath Bloxwich Bobbington Brewood Brierley Hill Brockmoor Burton-on-Trent Cannock Chasetown Cheadle Cheslyn Hay Clifton Campville Codsall Coseley Cradley Heath Darlaston Eccleshall Edingale Enville Ettingshall Fazeley Fenton Gornal Great Bridge Greensforge Hanbury Hanley Harlaston Hednesford Himley Hopwas Kidsgrove Kingswinford Kinver Leek Lichfield Newborough Newcastle-u-Lyme Ogley Hay Old Hill Pattingham Penkridge Penn Pensnett Quarry Bank Rowley Regis Sedgley Shenstone Silverdale Smethwick Stafford Stoke-on-Trent Stone Swindon Tamworth Tatenhill Tipton Tividale Trysull Tunstall Upper Arley Uttoxeter Wall Heath Walsall Wednesbury Wednesfield West Bromwich Whittington Wigginton Willenhall Wolverhampton Wombourne Woodsetton Wordsley

The Holly Bush Inn was a former beer house that lasted until 2010 when the building was sold and subsequently converted into an Indian restaurant called Spice Bazaar.

The box-frame cottage is thought to have been built in 1675. In the 1964 photograph above the pub was being operated by Ind Coope.
© Copyright. Images supplied by Digital Photographic Images.

1940 - Oliver Bromley

If you have a genealogy story or query regarding this pub you can contact me and I will post it here in addition to including your message within the website pages for Staffordshire Genealogy.

Not One to Mix with the Riff-Raff in the Bar

Samuel Johnson painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds [c.1772]
"There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.”
Samuel Johnson

Seighford - Spice Bazaar Sign
"An Indian restaurant has fallen foul of a sign of the times - or seven of them to be exact. For councillors have deemed the signs at the Spice Bazaar near Stafford to be inappropriate for the former village inn that dates from the 17th century. They have now voted to take enforcement action to get the unsuitable "non-historic" signs removed.

Stafford Borough Council's development control committee voted 10-1 in favour of taking action up to court proceedings to get the seven signs taken down at the restaurant in Main Road, Seighford.

Senior planning officer Matt Ellis said inappropriate materials had been used for the signs on the former Holly Bush Inn which is a Grade II listed building. “They are covering up the historic features,” he said. The signs including three illuminated ones, two non-illuminated and two banner signs.

Only Councillor Geoff Collier spoke in favour of the signs, saying he could see nothing wrong with the name signs at either gable. “I can’t see those signs are detrimental,” he added.

The Holly Bush Inn was converted into an Indian restaurant last year after being bought by Rois Miah, who also owns the Balti Bazaar in Lye near Stourbridge. Letters requesting an advertisement consent application and application for listed building consent be submitted for the illuminated and non-illuminated signs were sent out by the council.

The listed building application was refused in January because the acrylic materials used are non-historic with flat reflective surfaces that detract from the historic timber and painted brickwork. Advertisement consent was also refused on the same grounds.

The owner has not removed the signs and the two additional signs have also been put up and a request for a fresh application for an alternative scheme for the signs has been ignored.

The timber-framed building was listed in May last year. The oak wall structure has handmade red brick nogging panels and the roof structure is oak. Many of the roof timbers are still the original 17th century ones.

The Holly Bush Inn was built in 1675, probably as a dwelling, but possibly originally serving as a house incorporating a beer house."
"Signs of trouble in store for restaurant"
by John Corser in Express and Star
August 12th 2011
© Copyright. Image supplied by Express and Star

History of the Holly Bush Inn at Seighford in the county of Staffordshire. Research is augmented with photographs, details of licensees, stories of local folklore, census data, newspaper articles and a genealogy connections section for those studying their family history.

Staffordshire Places