PLANS to revitalise a prominent Grade II listed pub in the district are progressing.

The historic Commercial Hotel on Church Street, Keighley, is currently closed and is looking increasingly dilapidated.

In a promising move, Ei Publican Partnerships, which owns the pub, had submitted planning applications for a new hanging sign, fascia, plaques and panels to Bradford Council. However, on May 22, it withdrew them.

The company will not comment further on its plans except to say a new planning application would be submitted in the near future.

The Commercial, which was built in the late 18th century, closed in January this year.

At the time, Ei said talks were being held with the licensee of the premises over it reopening for business.

An Ei spokesman then said: “We would like to reassure local people that the site will continue to trade as a pub for the benefit of the local community.”

The Commercial is a listed structure with an entry on the Historic England website.

According to Keighley and District Local History Society, the pub may have been built on the site of a previous inn run by Robert Ingleson, which was there in 1725.

After his death, in 1751, his daughter Alice took over the business until she married Thomas Cockshott in 1759, when it would have passed into his ownership.

The recent planning applications for the Commercial Inn detailed the proposed signs and frontage.

The application’s Design and Access Statement said new signs in a traditional style would not conflict with existing architectural features such as lintels, for pipes or window mullions.

There would be a wooden board showcasing the pub’s name, timber signs with hand-finished individual letters, and high-level floodlights to illuminate the building.

The statement added: “The use of colours and letter styles has been chosen to be traditional but not overpowering against the buildings aesthetics.

"The signage pays respect to the heritage of the building.”

In response to the planning application, the Council’s Design and Conservation team was consulted due to the Commercial Inn being in Keighley town centre’s conservation area.

An officer responded: “Much of the proposed signage and lighting is an update for existing and as such provides little or no cause for concern.”

The officer was concerned that the planned main fascia board would be too tall, obscuring some of the historic stonework.

The Commercial Inn’s closure followed a year in which three other town pubs were either shut or confirmed as having no prospect of re-opening.

These included the Burlington Arms, in Market Street, the Globe, in Parkwood Street and The Star, in North Street.

Since 2005, at least eight other Keighley pubs have shut, but roughly 30 pubs and bars continue to trade in Keighley and Oakworth.

In Bradford, recent pub demolitions have included the Gallopers, in Wakefield Road.