A Harrogate community figure who once helped save the Sun Pavilion from ruin is launching a bid to have one of the town’s oldest pubs listed.

Pannal historian Anne Smith, who was chair of Harrogate Civic Society from 1982 to 1985, is preparing to apply to Historic England to make The Squinting Cat pub a listed building.

Located at Whinney Lane on the fringes of Harrogate, the pub opened in 1700 as a blacksmith's shop before becoming a coaching inn, when it was known as The Three Horseshoes for decades.

A license for the Three Horse Shoes, was granted to a Mr John Cawood at the 1827 licensing sessions, records of which are still held at Wakefield.

Listed status bid - Pannal historian Anne Smith, who was chair of Harrogate Civic Society from 1982 to 1985. (Picture contributed)

placeholder image — Listed status bid - Pannal historian Anne Smith, who was chair of Harrogate Civic Society from 1982 to 1985. (Picture contributed)

The popular pub was renamed The Squinting Cat when it was sold in the 1930s.

Its current owners, Greene King Pub Partners are currently looking for a new operator and planning a substantial investment to modernise this this well known pub which boasts a strong food and drink offer.

But winning listed status for The Squinting Cat would ensure the building had greater legal protection, going forward.

"It is a very, very old pub that deserves to be cherished,” said Anne Smith, who in the late 1980s led the successful campaign to restore the Sun Pavilion in the Valley Gardens in Harrogate.

"It’s had some bad make overs over its long history since it was once a quaint proper English village pub.

"But I’m hoping Historic England can overlook that and grant it listed protection.

"It would be a tragedy if in years to come it was eventually lost to make way for more housing.”

In England, a building becomes a listed building when it is formally added to the National Heritage List for England because it has special architectural or historic interest.

The decision is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, usually following an assessment and recommendation by Historic England

Anyone can apply for a building to be listed, including owners, local authorities, amenity societies, or members of the public.

Before making a decision, Historic England consider factors including:

Architectural interest.

Historic interest.

Close associations with important people or events.

Group value with other historic buildings.

Age and rarity of the structure.