An Ascot pub is no more as it has been completely flattened to make way for new homes.

The Royal Hunt in Ascot stood for years for punters to enjoy food and drink in the pub.

It is thought to have dated back to the 1700s, serving as a popular drinking establishment for royal huntsmen after Ascot Racecourse was founded by Queen Anne in 1711.

But now the pub building has been completely levelled, with only rubble remaining on the site.

Punters living near the pub attempted to save it by listing it as an asset of community value in 2015.

However, the listing expired in 2018, with no pub or eatery trader wishing to take the building on.

That led to developers Patrick Ruddy Homes applying to demolish it and replace it with eight one-bed apartments contained within a 2.5 storey new-build.

The site is located in North Ascot, and therefore falls under Bracknell Forest Council’s jurisdiction.

Patrick Ruddy Homes failed on two occasions to get approval in March and December 2018, but ultimately the council’s planning committee approved its replacement in July 2021.

READ MORE: The history of Ascot pub that is set for demolition 

A marketing report by Adam Bullas of property marketers Savills stated that ‘100 per cent’ of the interest in purchasing the pub was by developers and speculators seeking to convert or replace The Royal Hunt rather than bring it back into use.

In the report from September 2016, it was judged that it would be likely any pub business operated from it would fail.

Mr Bullas concluded: “The Royal Hunt is the typical type of business we have seen fail.

“It has a small trading footprint, and therefore is only able to sustain a minimal level of food trade.

“It also falls behind other premises and venues in terms of providing a modern and comfortable environment to drink, dine and entertain.”

The Royal Hunt was acquired by Hawthorn Leisure for £200,000 in 2014, with the pub closing and never reopening the following year.

It was then sold to Patrick Rudy Homes for £800,000 in 2017, effectively quadrupling in value.

Nothing remains of the building now, with imagery from May last year showing it being completely demolished.

You can see what the pub used to look like using the graphic below:

After the decision to replace the Royal Hunt was approved, Patrick Ruddy Homes then submitted details of its demolition plan and the materials that will be used on the apartment building, which was approved in December 2022.

The latest news is that the developers have submitted information for rules dictating the construction of the apartment building, with details relating to the parking, loading and storage for construction work and traffic management.

The last planning document was submitted on January 31 with the details requiring consent from the council’s planning department.

You can view this application by typing reference 23/00140/COND into the council’s planning portal, and the July 2021 consent using reference 20/00001/FUL.