AGM Report – Packed Village Hall meeting demands Compulsory Purchase of Henry Jenkins pub
More than 100 villagers packed into Kirkby Malzeard village hall last night to press North Yorkshire Council to proceed with a Compulsory Purchase Order to secure the Henry Jenkins pub for the community.
Residents queued outside to get in and there was standing room only in the hall for what was billed as a “make or break” meeting to save the pub from redevelopment. The meeting was organised by the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group, which been campaigning for eight years to save the 250- year-old pub from redevelopment with housing.
The group’s chair, Richard Sadler, said the main aim was to get a show of public support to demonstrate that the village still backs plans for a community buyout – so that the pub can be repaired and refurbished as a pub, bistro and coffee shop.
“We’re delighted to have had such a great turnout – and the feeling in the room was overwhelming supportive of what we’re trying to achieve. People are fed up that this once-thriving pub right in the middle of the village has been allowed to fall into such a disgraceful state.
“As we reported to the meeting last night, North Yorkshire Council have finally said they will consider making a compulsory purchase 1 – which would require an independent valuation – to break the stalemate. We will now be submitting a formal request to the council to begin compulsory purchase proceedings as a matter of urgency.”
So far more than 150 residents have signed a paper petition calling on the council to make a compulsory purchase “as a matter of urgency” and a further 550 have signed an online petition. Among speakers at the meeting were Paul Ainsworth, a member of CAMRA’s pub campaigns committee, who said the Henry Jenkins campaign deserved to succeed and he saw no reason why it should not be viable as community-owned pub. He said interest in community-owned pubs had soared in recent years with a total of 204 now up and running and further 100 community pub groups trying to buy their local pub. The meeting was also addressed by Martin Booth from Yorkshire’s oldest community-owned pub group, the George and Dragon, at Hudswell, near Richmond, who said the revival of the pub had brought the community together and helped with provision of a wide range of local services. Representatives from three other Yorkshire community
pub groups attended as well as North Yorkshire Council’s local ward councillor, Felicity Cunliffe-Lister.
The Henry Jenkins group’s treasurer, Andy Taylor, reported that the process had just begun of asking villagers to redeem pledges to buy community shares. He said a total of £66,750 had already been raised. When this was combined with £330,000 promised Government funding it meant the group was already in a position to buy the Henry Jenkins and begin repair and refurbishment – provided it was bought at price which reflected the pub’s value in its present dilapidated condition. However, more money would be needed to finance the complete refurbishment and other expenses in accordance with the group’s business plan. He asked everyone who had pledged money to redeem pledges as soon as practicable. Residents who have recently moved to the village were also invited to buy shares.
In total eight purchase offers to buy all or part of the pub have been put the owner, David Fielder.
These have all been rejected by Mr Fielder, who was present at last night’s meeting. The group said it was still seeking a meeting with Mr Fielder to see if an agreement could be reached without the need for a compulsory purchase.
