Community Ownership

Community ownership plays an important role, because, when a much-loved or neglected pub closes or goes up for sale, it can often be one of the last community services in the area.

It can be an emotional blow as well as one that can seriously affect the future local economy and community infrastructure; nowhere to meet, no focus for community life and no community cohesion.

Galvanised into action, some communities can be a successful force; bringing creativity, business acumen and hands-on support into one powerful and vocal group. Many groups have uniquely pulled together to own and run their pub but equally over 70% of groups do not take, or are not able to take their plans through to fruition.

Can your community run the local pub?

Like so many across the UK, we want to ensure that pubs and other rural services remain pillars of the community.  As an organisation we cannot advise your group on legal or business decisions but we can help local communities to mobilise; giving them the options they need to strengthen and support their local services by taking ownership of their local pub.

Pub is The Hub has already supported and advised a large number of communities who have undertaken such projects. Although only a small number of groups actually go ahead with their plans to buy or run their local pub, for the ones that have taken the plunge, the results have been inspirational.  There are, however, serious responsibilities involved and it has to be for the long term – not a romantic local dream – hard work is involved.

For more information please email support@pubisthehub.org.uk

Fancy running your own pub?

Feel free to watch our video and see how one Gloucestershire community took ownership of their local pub and the challenges involved!

The Community Right To Bid

The Community Right to Bid was created in the Localism Act in September 2012 across the country. This means that communities can ‘stop-the clock’ on the sale of valuable local assets and amenities like post offices, village shops or community pubs, giving them time to put in a bid of their own and protect it for the wider benefits of the community.

The new right gives voluntary and community organisations and parish councils the opportunity to nominate an asset to be included on a list of ‘Assets of Community Value’, pausing the sale of a successfully listed asset for six-months, giving communities the opportunity and time to prepare a bid and get a business plan together. Previously a community has had no opportunity or time to gather resources to bid to buy or take them over.

The key point to consider is that the pub owner is not bound to sell an ACV pub to a community group but must weigh that against the risk of bad press and reputational damage. The owner is only bound to give time to the community group to bid for the pub. An ACV will potentially have an impact on timing of a sale and at worst it will constrain the ability to convert a pub to alternative use. For more details on Assets of Community Value click here.

To find out more about what to consider before applying for community ownership, along with details on which scheme is right for you, contact our office for more information, or visit websites for organisations such as CAMRA and the Plunkett Foundation.