A long-abandoned pub dating back almost 150 years will go up for auction later this month.
The former Manor Shades, in Gravesend town centre, is being marketed by Auction House ahead of its potential sale on April 22.
Former Manor Shades pub in Manor Road, Gravesend
The ground-floor boozer has been empty for more than a decade, though four rooms are let out on the first floor.
The entire property in Manor Road is included in the sale, which carries a guide price of £325,000 and features a cellar, kitchen, large bar/restaurant area and toilets.
The rooms for let are currently all occupied at a combined rent of £2,400 per calendar month.
Auction House says the building has the potential for redevelopment, subject to the necessary permissions being granted.
The pub was first established in 1879 and has served punters for more than 130 years.
Inside the former Manor Shades pub in Manor Road, Gravesend, as seen in 2023. Picture: Sealeys Estate Agents
It closed in 2012, when it was known as Pauline’s Manor Shades, and rumours surrounding its future have been rife ever since.
In 2016, plans were submitted to Gravesham council to convert the premises into a home – but these were refused on the grounds it would lead to the loss of retail space, did not meet housing standards and would cause harm to the historic interest of the building.
In 2022, videos were shared on social media platform TikTok by a group of friends who said they were transforming the public house into a new cocktail bar.
They shared clips of them transforming the building by painting the walls bright green, pink and blue, creating a graffiti feature and installing a custom-made bar.
According to the posts, the new tenants hoped to open the venture, which was to be known as Mouthie Bar, in December 2022.
But despite teasing a final video showcasing the finished look, there were no more updates and the building was put up for let.