Remarkably, Burnley Wood had managed to retain almost all of its historic public houses despite seeing significant urban clearance of much of the area around Waterloo Road, the north part of Hirst Street and Russell Street in the 1970s followed by a later clearance in the last decade around May Street, Duke Street and the southern part of Hirst Street. These include the Brittania Inn at corner of what remains of Springfield Road and Oxford Road, which was saved from demolition in the 1970s, The Royal Butterfly at the corner of Hollingreave Road and Huffling Lane, The Rifle Volunteer on the corner of Tarleton Street and Smalley Street and the historic landmark Woodman Hotel at the southernmost end of Oxford Road and Todmorden Road. The Stanley in Oxford Road finally closed in 2014. Two other public houses did not survive the 1970's clearances; The Owl in the Wood was located on the corner of Springfield Road and Tarleton Street and the Cottage in the Wood was adjacent at the corner of Springfield Road and Rawlinson Street. There was also a lively political scene in Burnley Wood during the late nineteenth century which led to the founding of both a Conservative Club and Liberal Club both on Brunswick Street. The Conservative Working Men's Club remains open, although is no longer affiliated to the Conservative Party. However the Liberal Club, after a period of being a Gospel Hall is now apartments.