Pub on A4 Bath Road demolished to become new Greggs

As previously reported, The George & Dragon which closed during the pandemic and never reopened has been bulldozed. 

The pub was fondly remembered by readers of the Chronicle but when this newspaper visited the site today, nothing remained apart from mounds of rubble. 

Photographs taken next to the former site of the pub on the Bath Road in Southcote reveal  a large crater where the venue once sat.

The demolition works have been going on for the last few weeks and now they have been completed, work is due to begin on building the new drive-thru Greggs bakery.

Speaking to residents who live nearby, they had mixed feelings about their new neighbour-to-be.

Michael Booker, 85 of Morlands Avenue, stated that there are many unknowns with Greggs set to be built there soon.

Mr Booker, who has lived in Morlands Avenue for three years said: "Well, we've had a little bit of time now to think about it because it's been going on for some time.

"I'm just wondering what impact it will have on this little close Community here.

"We don't know about the impact it will have on traffic, it could be a problem of us getting out. I think it probably will be.

"It might be very busy when it first opens because it's something new and then it might all tail off."

Michael Booker, 85, who lives in Morlands Avenue, Southcote, stated that there are many unknowns for the impact on neighbours now the George and Dragon pub has been demolished. It will be replaced with a drive-thru Greggs. (Image: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service)

Mr Booker did praise workers from J Mould for keeping neighbours informed during the demolition.

Other neighbours in Morlands Avenue felt fairly unaffected by the construction work so far.

Andre Zalpocky 97, whose from Ukraine and has lived in the Avenue for 50 years said: "I never used the pub. Hopefully they will put something better in there.

"The work has gone on alright."

Another neighbour called Margaret said other than noise and dust, the demolition had not affected her much, but she was concerned about overlooking  now the work is complete.

She said: "I don't like the fact that we are now very much overlooked and I can hear and see the traffic on the main road which I never did before.

"I just wish they will put a bit of screening or fencing there, that would help."

Margaret also said it was 'dreadful' that a large tree had been cut down as part of the works.

Some neighbours were happy with the pub being gone, saying that it had declined prior to its closure.

Mr Booker said: "It wasn't a particularly nice pub. There was a lot of 'action' on weekends that neighbours weren't happy with.

"We've had yellow lines round here because a lot of the pub people used to come and park in here.

"We don't know whether people will come back to parking here [once Greggs is open].

John Bolton, aged 86, who has lived in Morlands Avenue 62 years, said: "It was a lovely little village pub at one time, when I first moved here, then it became a crap place basically.

"So I'm glad to see it knocked down. It was a mess."

But does he prefer it becoming a Greggs?

Mr Bolton replied: "Not really, it's not what I would have chosen but there again, we don't have any choice, do we?"

Similarly, Mr Booker said: "I don't really know why we need a Greggs when there's one a mile and a half up the road at the Sainsbury's.

"Why do you need another Greggs here? I don't know."

Meanwhile, another neighbour was happy to see the pub gone as there had been issues with noise and smashed glass when it was open.

Marilyn Walsh, 74, who lives in Bath Road, said: "You used to get a lot of noise from the lot that used to be there.

"At night there was smashed glass, I used to get it all on my driveway.

Marilyn Walsh, 74, of Bath Road, Reading said punters at the old George and Dragon pub used to smash glass and litter outside her house. (Image: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service)

"They [punters] used to take glasses out with them but couldn't be bothered taking their glasses back in.

"I had to keep clearing it up, and there was noise from them as well, it's a lot better now.

"Some of them [the punters] were barred but other people used to bring drinks out to them."

Construction on the drive-thru Greggs is due to begin on Monday, September 2.

The project was approved by Reading Borough Council's planning department (application reference PL/23/0471) last December.