Devon landlady's nightmare after catastrophic pub collapse

Heather Brown, landlady at The Ship Inn in Cockwood
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


A pub landlady says she is stuck in limbo over its future - a year since it suffered a catastrophic collapse. Heather Brown says no work has been done on The Ship Inn at Cockwood near Starcross since the end wall crashed to the ground in October of last year.

In the immediate aftermath, it was hoped the pub could be open again in a year or two. But a dispute about who should pay for the rebuild has led to a stalemate.

Heather says it has taken a heavy toll emotionally and financially. "It's been incredibly stressful," she said. "The whole thing has just been awful.

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"We went from having a busy, thriving business to nothing and it has cost me tens of thousands of pounds."

The Ship Inn in Cockwood
The Ship Inn in Cockwood -Credit:DevonLive


Staff at The Ship were getting ready for a busy lunchtime serving when the calamity happened on October 29. An entire cob wall turned to rubble within seconds after a night of heavy rain.

Fortunately, the pub had yet to open its doors and nobody was hurt. But a barman was just feet away from the disintegrating wall.

It left a gaping hole to the side of the 17th century building. Upper accommodation, where the chef lived, was one of the rooms left exposed.

Before the wall collapsed a large crack, visible from the outside, had been investigated. A build-up of water may have penetrated the crevice and destabilised the cob construction.

Heather says the insurance company has not paid out. She said: "Currently there has been no progress and there is a bit of a stalemate. It is all in the hands of solicitors and we are trying to get some sort of resolution about who is going to pay for the renovation.

A pub near Exeter, The Ship Inn at Cockwood, has partially collapsed. October 29, 2023. Byline: Matt Gilley/FPS Images. Contact details: info@fpsimages.com
A pub near Exeter, The Ship Inn at Cockwood, has partially collapsed. October 29, 2023. Byline: Matt Gilley/FPS Images. Contact details: info@fpsimages.com

"We've earned nothing for a year now, it's just a massive financial drain. We have been living off savings."

Cob is a traditional building material that was commonly used in Devon before 1900. It is a mixture of locally dug earth and sometimes straw and lime. It is known to become unstable when penetrated with water.

Many Devon cob-built houses have been incorrectly renovated over the years, often using cement render instead of lime. This often leads to dangerous cracks forming and, in the worst cases, sudden collapses.

"The intention is to rebuild," says Heather. She is unsure whether the whole building or just the collapsed section will need to be replaced. Punch Taverns, the owners, has applied for planning permission, she says.

"It is quite a sad sight to see it so desolate," says Heather.

A Punch Pubs & Co Spokesperson: "The Ship remains an important part of the Punch portfolio, and we would like to assure the community that we are still working with our publicans and, whilst this is a complex situation, we remain committed to ensuring The Ship is rebuilt and reopened. We look forward to updating the community as soon as possible."

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