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1st April 2014

Community spirit: The pubs across the UK run by their regulars

Over 50 pubs across the UK now run by their local communities

New research announced today by CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, shows that over 50 pubs across the UK are now being run by their local communities, many of which were facing closure before being saved by locals.

The rapidly expanding list of community owned pubs, released to mark the start of April’s Community Pubs Month, represents a growing trend of communities looking to save their local pub by buying and running it themselves.

“The Great British pub is something unique and deserving of protection and it is inspiring to see so many communities across the UK fighting to save their local by raising the money to purchase it themselves. With 28 pubs closing every week there is still much more that needs to be done to protect pubs, but it is heartening to see that the desire and drive to save pubs is something which is clearly there amongst the pub-going public.” CAMRA Chairman Colin Valentine.

One example of a community owned pub that is thriving is The Norton Community Pub in the tiny village of Cold Norton in Essex. The Norton was the first community pub to be included in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide yet was threatened with permanent closure in 2007, when the villagers formed a committee to run the pub and safeguard its future. Shares in the pub were sold and raised over £100,000, more than £20,000 over the original target, with 70% of the share uptake coming from the villagers themselves and the remaining 30% comprising individual CAMRA members from Essex and further afield.

Another example at the opposite end of the England is The Old Crown Pub in Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria, which is believed to be the first co-operative pub in the UK, forming over a decade ago in 2003 and owned by 100 local residents. Julian Ross, led the bid by locals to take ownership of the pub,

“People say they don’t care about making a return on their investment. They want to preserve something that is important for the community. This is a cosy, friendly pub, which you can go into whether you’re wearing your wellies, walking boots, or a suit, and you won’t come out without speaking to someone. Regulars and visitors alike always find a warm welcome, great home cooked food (including the famous Old Crown curries), a friendly smile and a truly superb range of real ales.”    

Many of the pubs which have most recently been purchased by their local community came about after being listed as ‘Assets of Community Value’, or ACVs, which means should they be threatened with closure the local community is notified and given a six month period to raise the money to purchase the pub.

Community Pubs Minister Brandon Lewis pledges support for Community Pubs Month: “Pubs are at the heart of thousands of villages and towns across the country providing an essential place for millions of people to get together, this is why campaigns such as CAMRA’s community pubs month are vital in getting people to go to their local.   

“The government is also playing its part to support the local pub, by abolishing the last government’s cider tax, cutting red tape on live music in pubs and as the Chancellor announced in the budget by taking another penny in tax off a pint.  We have also given people the power to list local buildings as assets of community value to protect them from sell off, and so far this has included 300 pubs and I know that working with CAMRA and its members we will get that number higher still.”

CAMRA recently announced they had reached their target of 350 pubs listed as Assets of Community Value across the UK and that their sights were now set on adding a further 100 in the next 12 months, cementing pubs in their current position as the top ACV listed buildings.

For more information on Community Pubs Month visit www.communitypubscampaign.org.uk

COPY ENDS

Case study: On-going community campaign to purchase a pub

The White Swan, Charlton (SE7 8UD)

In early 2014 the Charlton Society, the local amenity group, applied to list the White Swan as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) after worries about the pubs future. At the same time Punch Taverns, the White Swan’s ‘tied pubco’ freeholder put the pub up for sale at £950K – clearly priced ‘suitable for alternative use’.  As Punch has recently taken to leasing pubs directly to Tesco, without the protection of ACV the property was under genuine threat of being lost forever as a pub.

But on 14 March, in a remarkably fortuitous four weeks’ turnaround time, ACV was granted by Greenwich Council, and now the Charlton community is considering how best to bring the pub into community ownership with a £1 million fund-raising project ahead.

Notes to editors:

If you require further information please contact the CAMRA Press Office on 01727 798443 or Press Manager Neil Walker on 07939 425471. Alternatively email press@camra.org.uk or neil.walker@camra.org.uk

Map of Community owned pubs

Google map: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zfajbo307EGU.k_ZYgYNxia4w

CAMRA site: www.camra.org.uk/communitypubs

(Blue are ‘in progress’)

List of Community owned pubs

PUB NAME ADDRESS
Angel 15 Cross St, Grosmont, Monmouthshire, NP7 5EN
Anglers Rest* Bamford, Derbyshire, S33 0DY
Barge Inn Honeystreet, Wiltshire, SN9 5PS
Beauchamp Arms Dymock, Gloucestershire, GL18 2AQ
Bull, The* Sheep Street, Great Milton, Oxfordshire, OX7 3RR
Butchers Arms Crosby Ravensworth Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 3JP
Cadeleigh Arms Tiverton, Cadeleigh, Devon, EX16 8HP
Cherry Tree Laburnum Drive, Willingham, Lincolnshire, LN3 4AS
Crown Dilwyn, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR4 8HL
Cwmdu Inn Cwmdu, Llandeilo, Carmathenshire
The Dolphin Bishampton, Worcs, WR10 2LX
Dykes End Fair Green, Reach, Cambridgeshire, CB25 0JD
Earl of Chesterfield Shelford, Nottinghamshire, NG12 1EQ
Farriers Arms The Forstal Mersham
Fleece Inn Hillesley, Gloucstershire, GL12 7RD
Foresters Carlton in Coverdale, North Yorkshire, DL8 4RU
Fox & Goose* Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 6AZ
Fox & Hounds* Charwelton, NN11 3YY
Fox & Hounds Ennerdale Bridge, Cumbria, CA23 3AR
George and Dragon Hudswell, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL11 6BL
Golden Ball Bishopshill, York, YO1 6DU
Green Man Mill End Green, Toppesfield, Essex, CM6 2DN
Green Man, The 2 Lower St, Thriplow, Royston, SG8 7RJ
Greyhound Inn* Grizebeck, Cumbria
Heneage Arms Hainton, Lincolnshire, LN8 6LX
Holly Bush Inn* Seighford, Staffordshire, ST18 0BX
Hope, The 48 West Street, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 2PR
Jolly Brewers, The 5 Fen Road, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6AD
Jolly Farmer Cookham Dean, Berkshire
Kings Arms* Shouldham, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE38 0BY
Merrie Lion Brook Street, Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, CV47 2YH
New Inn Shipton Gorge, Dorset, DT6 4LT
Norton Community Pub, The* 54 Latchingdon Road, Cold Norton, Dengie, CM3 6JB
Old Crown Pub Hesket Newmarket, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 8JG
Pengwern, The Y Pengwern, Church Square, Llan Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, LL41 4PB
Plough and Fleece, The High Street , Horningsea, North East Cambridge, CB25 9JG
Punchbowl Inn Battisford, IP14 2LQ
Raven Inn, The Ffordd Rhiw Ial, Llanarmon-yn-Ial, Ruthin, CH7 4QE
Red Lion Arlingham, Gloucestershire, GL2 7JH
Red Lion, The The Green, Preston, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 7UD
Rose and Crown Slaley, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 0AA
Royal Oak Inn, The Meavy, Devon, PL20 6PJ
Saith Seren Pub Chester Street, Wrexham, Wales, LL13 8BG
Seven Stars Marsh Baldon, Oxfordshire, OX44 9LP
Shurlock Inn The Street, Shurlock Row, West Berkshire, RG10 0PS
Sorrel Horse Hollesley Rd, Shottisham, Suffolk IP12 3HD
Star Inn Lidgate, Suffolk, CB8 9PP
Star Inn, The 2 Back Hope Street, Salford, North Manchester, M7 2FR
Stoke Canon Inn High St, Exeter, Devon, EX5 4AR
Tally Ho* Hungerford Newtown, West Berkshire, RG17 0PP
Three Horseshoes Thursley, GU8 6QD
Tyn-Y-Capel Minera, Wrexham, LL11 3DA
Village Swan Ivinghoe Aston, Bucks Mid-Chilterns , LU7 9DP
White Hart Wolvercote, Oxfordshire, OX2 8QA
White Horse, The Brancaster Staithe, Upton, Norfolk, PE31 8BY
Yarcombe Inn, The A30 between Honiton and Chard, Yarcombe, EX14 9BD

*Pub listed as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ (ACV)