The Jester, opposite Mount Pleasant roundabout, closed in 2013 and burned down in 2018 reports David Floyd

A man in a suit with his finger in the air pointing towards a demolition site where the top of a crane can be seen — Cllr Simon Radford with heavy equipment onsite for demolition works – (Credit – Barnet Labour)

Local councillors led the celebrations last week after a derelict East Barnet pub was finally demolished.

The Jester, opposite Mount Pleasant roundabout, was shut in 2013 before burning down in 2018. Since then, the building has remained as a charred shell, prompting campaigns from councillors and residents for action.

Now, the site is being turned into a new nursery, based on plans approved by Barnet Council in May last year. Construction work is due to last until spring 2027.

East Barnet councillor Simon Radford, who visited the site during the demolition, said: “When I was elected in 2022, the Jester had loomed like a haunted house and local residents had been resigned to its presence for several years already.

“Residents were distressed that this dangerous and unsightly wreck in their neighbourhood seemed forgotten about.

“Getting it removed was the subject of my first email to officers, and I determined to make it a personal priority, insisting on regular updates so the neighbourhood knew what was going on.”

Cllr Radford added: “We got the BBC to cover the campaign, prompting the owner to act and put in the planning application for a nursery.

“We worked to ensure that the owner was properly communicating with Barnet Council’s planning department so residents did not have to wait a moment longer than they already had for progress.

“Finally clearing this potential death trap is the result of a whole community effort and this is their win. I want to thank them for all their hard work.”

Local resident Ismael Pope said: “We’ve been calling it the haunted house for years, so clearing it away and getting a nursery instead is great. We shouldn’t have had to put up with it for so long in what is a family neighbourhood.”

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