There are a number of Pubs in the UK with community groups currently fighting the owners who wish to develop them as residence or other change of use from a Pub.
Fortunately recent legislation has stopped permitted development rights which allowed a Pub to be changed overnight to a betting shop or convenience store. All change of use needs a planning application now.
The fast growing option of “community Ownerships” is also helping to save Pubs.
This option allows Pubs to succeed where they previously had not been viable when privately owned.
It seems that once people have invested financially in their Pub, they tend to use it more . As well as that, the Pub is not tide to a brewery, so can get better deals on drinks, and they are not liable to see the any rent increase, which often happens in “tied” pubs when the start being more successful.
With over 50 community Pubs now running, and none of them failing at this stage, this is an important formula for taking over local Pubs.
Here is a list of Pubs which are currently under threat and have community Groups working to save them from development.
THE DYKE PUB – Brighton
“Save the Dyke Group” – The locals turned up one day to find their local Pub closed and then soon turned into a Furniture Shop. They have assembled a community group and progress has been made towards getting their Pub back.
WEBSITE
www.savethedykepub.org.uk
THE MARQUIS PUB – Chedburgh
SUMMARY
The community have been actively campaigning to raise money to purchase the Pub. To complicate matters, the owner has splt the Pub despite having an ACV and the cut off section sold is the car park opposite the Pub, vital for any Pub now. A planning application to change to a residence was refused.
WEBSITE
http://www.savethemarquis.co.uk
FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/SavetheMarquis/
BUSINESS PLAN
http://www.savethemarquis.co.uk/Business_Plan.pdf
SHARE OFFER
http://www.savethemarquis.co.uk/Share_prospectus.pdf
LINKS
Shares for sale in bid to reopen Chedburgh’s Marquis Cornwallis pub
Bury Free Press – 14 October 2018
https://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/news/shares-offered-in-campaign-to-save-village-pub-9046113/
Community urged to help save village pub
East Anglian Daily times – 11 October 2018
https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/villages-encouraged-to-get-involved-to-save-suffolk-pub-1-5732690
From the article –
“The Marquis Cornwallis pub in Chedburgh, near Bury St Edmunds, closed its doors in October 2016 and villagers have rallied behind a campaign to save the building.Villagers launched a community benefit society – the Chedburgh Marquis Community Hub (CMCH) – in June and were awarded support in the form of a three-year business programme, led by the Plunkett Foundation.The society consulted with the community, produced a business plan and has now launched a share issue campaign to buy the pub, which is an Asset of Community Value (ACV).The shares will help raise the funds to buy and renovate the pub building and land. Villagers are aiming to turn The Marquis into a popular community pub alongside a café and shop.”
Planning applications for two village pub sites refused
Bury Free Press – 08 September 2018
https://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/news/homes-plans-for-pub-sites-given-red-light-9043502/
Community form action group to save village pub
East Anglian Daily times – 18 June, 2018https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/community-in-chedburgh-form-group-to-save-village-pub-1-5565991