Community funding under question

In an end of year announcement that has concerned many, the government has closed its Community Ownership Fund which had been made available to allow local people and groups to take on and save community facilities. The closure is despite there still being unallocated funds.
The funding was also available to town and parish councils.

The reason given – or excuse – is pressure on government finances caused by the previous government.

Support for community amenities removed

The scheme, which was to run until the end of 2025, was created to help local groups take on assets such as community halls, leisure facilities, shops, sports grounds, swimming pools, museums, arts centres and local pubs. 

Since its 2021 commencement, 409 projects have received over £140million.

This could have a devastating effect on those working hard to save our country's public houses as well as on groups wishing to take on other community facilities. 

Current efforts

Efforts are now underway by organisations including the Campaign for Real Ale to ensure that assistance remains in other tangible ways. 

This includes discussions with officials in the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government over the current review of other support schemes. These include Assets of Community Value and the hoped for introduction of the Right to Buy to replace the current Right to Bid.

Shocking losses

The scale of long-term pub closures is shocking and the support for the struggling hospitality industry is abysmal. Communities are losing their centres of social interaction, economic benefits and local heritage on a daily basis. 
Here, Happy Pint urges all to lobby their Councils and MPs to support one of the most important cornerstones of our society – the British Pub.

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The Government statement (23rd December 2024)

The Community Ownership Fund is now closed. There will be no further application windows on the COF programme. We have taken this difficult decision due to the challenging inheritance left by the previous government.

Whilst we are closing the Community Ownership Fund, this government remains committed to the communities’ sector and community empowerment.

The government will deliver on its manifesto commitment to replace the community ‘Right to Bid’ with a strengthened ‘Right to Buy’ Assets of Community Value, creating a more robust pathway to community asset ownership. And we will seek to support high streets by strengthening Business Improvement Districts which have helped to improve town and city centres across the United Kingdom for 20 years, while ensuring they operate to high standards and are accountable to their communities. 

Details:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-ownership-fund-prospectus/community-ownership-fund-round-4-prospectus

 

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The Red House – A Conspiracy Theory – or is it?

What is the longer game? 

The latest planning application raises some concerning suspicions over the building's future. A 'new' application has been submitted for the Red House in Whitchurch, a Grade II Listed Building whose closure has been the subject of much controversy. 

Red House garden in its heyday.
Now built upon with three houses.

The once successful and lively pub had been allowed to deteriorate by the owners and has been closed since 2018. After promising to reinvest proceeds into the pub from building houses on the car park the owners gained further permission to convert the pub to residential. Many believe they had been hoodwinked. 

That was mistake number one, accepting the owner's word!

Broken promises
The houses were built and a further application to change the pub to residential was submitted which was granted, but only after a lengthy Appeal.

 
But, despite a time-limit on the application set by the Appeal Inspector still no work has taken place. The building has been deteriorating further with broken windows, rotten window frames, damp, falling rendering and rodent invasion.

A TWIST – WHY ANOTHER APPLICATION?
Now in a 'twist' the owner has submitted another application which is a virtual replica of the first.
The main difference is that they are now claiming to have leased part of the pub out since March 2024 to a tenant for residential use.

This claimed residential letting could mean they would not be liable for any Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a sum a developer pays which goes towards support for the local area. Yet the only tenants of the near derelict building anyone has seen have been rats, lots of them; so many that complaints were made to the Environmental Health Department.

But is this a red herring as the CIL would be a relatively small amount?

This raises those further suspicions.

WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT?

Come back to the Conspiracy Theory.

IS DEMOLITION NEXT?

Consider this:

• The Appeal Inspector, in allowing the Change of Use, imposed a Planning Condition that works shall begin not later than 3 years from the decision date. 
• That was over 15 months ago on 4th September 2023 and time is moving on. Meanwhile the historic building deteriorates even more.
• Anything that causes delays such as investigation into the claimed tenancy means further dilapidation and a case for demolition becomes stronger.
• THE QUESTION: Is the plan to manipulate delays that lead to further deterioration leaving the only option to demolish and thus reduce building costs rather than having to invest in keeping and renovating the historic structure and features of the Listed Building?
  
• So do the owners want objectors to challenge the CIL/habitation claim in order to deliberately create those delays?

And coming back to how the community was mislead over investment in the pub can there be any trust? Any at all?

A FRUSTRATING FARCE

What is certain is that the whole sorry caboodle is becoming a frustrating farce and it seems the councillors and planners don't have enough teeth to ensure the applicant/owner doesn't run rings around them. 

Meanwhile the pub users and local residents have lost a valuable amenity. 

It is not their fault, but that of a very weak planning system that places developers wishes above those of local people, a failure is being worsened by the actions of a developer who has lost any local trust.

The 'latest' Planning application documents (ref: 24/02820/FUL) can be viewed here:

https://planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=SNVNDVCRG8N00&activeTab=summary

Pubs and Charities

The public house provides a local community many benefits but there is one that is often overlooked when they are threatened by closure – their support for local charities.

£100 million raised annually
It is reported by Pub Aid that pubs raise more than £100million each year for charity which goes back into supporting a plethora of good causes.

Whether its a quiz evening, a swear box, or a red nose fancy dress, local pubs are a major fundraising source. From meat draws to auctions and haircuts the list of opportunities for a pub is almost endless. 
There are few pubs without the charity pot on the bar where even the odd pennies of change dropped in the slot will soon add up and help a good cause. 

Attracting customers
Fundraising goes further too, as it can attract customers. In an independent survey commissioned for CAMRA and PubAid, research showed that more people would use their local pub if more charity events were held. This was especially the case for younger adults.

Many pubs raise funds for specific causes.
One favourite local pub in Andover has chooses a charity for the year and runs a number of events. The last year has seen the Andover Tap at the Lamb raise over £2300 for the Alzheimers Society, through a raft of events ranging from a hairdressing event to a cycle ride. It has now just started to raise funds for its next chosen charity, Naomi House which provides hospice care for children and young adults.

£2370 raised by The Andover Tap at the Lamb

From Coffee mornings to Quizzes
Another popular fundraising event is running coffee mornings and several local pubs excel, including the popular Anton Arms and others in Andover that raise funds for cancer support.

Pub Quizzes are also of the most popular events that raise funds for charities.

A local town and its Quizzes
The north Hampshire town of Whitchurch also excels with regular quizzes in many pub venues. 

A popular theme is to raise funds in order to run a to run a community swimming pool, while another is to provide support to Whitchurch in Bloom whose volunteers add colourful planting to the town's streets.

Bish's lockdown quizzes
are now held in the Kings Arms

Onwards from Covid
One of the town's most regular quizzes is held started online during lockdown and has now continued in the Kings Arms where 'Bish' runs numerous fundraising evenings.
Also watch out for the landlord Steve Howard's infamous Tin Foil Challenge. That really is fun!

Value to Communities – JOIN IN
The value of the Pub to charities and is all too often ignored when a pub is under threat of development.

All we can say is JOIN IN – visit your local pub and not only enjoy the hospitality of good refreshments and entertainment but also know that you can be supporting your local community.

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