Supermarket giant Tesco has been linked to a former Nottinghamshire pub amid growing rumours over the future of the site — but no official plans naming the retailer have yet been submitted.
Rumours about The Eagle, in Howbeck Road, Arnold, have been circulating after the pub closed earlier this year and was listed for sale, with offers sought of around £550,000.
The pub, which opened in 1979, was extensively refurbished in 2015. It included two open-plan bars, a compact kitchen, an office, a large ground-floor cellar and a 30-space car park.
It closed suddenly in May 2024 before reopening, but shut for good in early 2026.
In March this year, plans were submitted to Gedling Borough Council to change the use of the vacant ground floor from a pub to a shop. The upstairs residential accommodation would be unaffected.
However, the planning documents do not name the business or retailer expected to take over the site, referring only to the “proposed end user”.
The documents say the proposed end user would submit a separate planning application for “signage and external alterations” at a later date.
No further application has so far been submitted to the council for the same address.
Gedling Borough Council leader John Clarke said he had heard a “street rumour” that Tesco could be the retailer linked to the site.
He said: “As a CAMRA member, I’m sorry the pub’s shut.
“There’s a fair amount of housing that’s gone on not too far from there, so it would be good for people.
“I would welcome it because you see what happens to buildings that are left for a long while; they get damaged.
“The biggest welcome is the building won’t be standing empty and we’ll be collecting council tax, which is an issue when buildings stay empty.”
Nottinghamshire County Councillor John Semens, who represents Arnold North, said he had heard a similar rumour.
He said: “I think anything being used is better than an empty building.
“It generates income, it’s a service for people. We’ve got enough empty units without adding to them.”
Tesco has previously had a presence on Howbeck Road. A Tesco Express opposite the former Eagle pub closed in May 2023 and was replaced by One Stop, which is owned by Tesco.
Tesco was contacted for comment on two occasions but did not respond.
Any future retailer moving into the former pub would be confirmed through later planning documents or announcements.
