Shocked manager returns to find historic pub demolished without warning, without permission

The manager of a pub returned after she was told to close for an inventory to find builders had demolished the historic building.

Developers ripped through the Carlton Tavern the day before it was due to become a listed building. They had been denied planning permission to develop the site.

Manager Patsy Lord rushed back to the pub in Maida Vale, north London, on Wednesday to find two bulldozers tearing into the historic building.

The Tavern was the only building in its road to survive Hitler's bombs during the Blitz.

English Heritage confirmed the site was being considered to be listed. Westminster City Council will now be seeking legal advice.

• Developers wanted to destroy the existing building and replace it with a ground floor pub and four upper floors made up of ten residential units

• They were denied by a planning sub-committee because of the "bulk, height and detailed design of the new building would be detrimental to the view from the adjacent Maida Vale Conservation Area"

ITV News approached the developers, who did not want to be interviewed. However, they fully accepted what they had done was against the rules.