A Wimbledon Park pub, once said to be the Prime Minister’s local, will be restored to its “former glory” by new buyers.

The Woodman in Durnsford Road would previously have fallen under Durnsford ward, where Theresa May was a councillor from 1986 until 1994.

Your Local Guardian:
Then home-secretary Theresa May at the Woodman Pub in 2012

The pub has been sold by Greene King to developer Goldcrest.

A meeting was held yesterday (Thursday May 4) with Stephen Hammond, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Wimbledon, and ward councillors Oonagh Moulton and Linda Taylor.

Rumours had been ciculating that Goldcrest would be demolishing the building but developers said they will restore the pub its former glory and make it “family-friendly”.

Councillors said that outline draft drawings shown at the meeting confirm that none of the original building, which was designed by T Nowell Parr in the 1920s, will be destroyed.

Although the developer also intends to build houses on some of of the site, Goldcrest told councillors at the meeting it was committed to a responsible approach that considered the views of local people.

Wimbledon Park ward councillor Linda Taylor said: “We had a very positive meeting yesterday.

“There was a lot of rumours flying around so it was very helpful to have the meeting and we got a very good feeling about what we could get with the pub.”

The councillors said there will be a public consultation on the plans after the purchase is finalised.