Nine local pubs have been designated ‘assets of community value’ by Nottingham City Council – giving them greater protection if owners wanted to change their use or demolish them.
The Pheasant Inn on Prospect Street, Radford, The March Hare on Carlton Road, Sneinton, The Old Angel on Stoney Street, Hockley, The Horseshoe Inn on Station Road, Bulwell, the Horse and Groom on Radford Road, Hyson Green, the Trent Navigation Inn on Meadow Lane, Lady Bay, The Plough on St Peter’s Street, Radford, The Rose and Crown and the Three Wheatsheaves, both on Derby Road, Lenton, are all the latest to be given the special status after being nominated for by the local branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale – with 18 others already approved (see below for details) and more in the pipeline.
The Localism Act 2011 introduced the new arrangements which allow voluntary and community organisations to nominate premises to be added to the register of assets of community value, with local councils deciding which are included based on a range of criteria. The status means the owner cannot sell the site for six weeks, which allows a community group to express interest in buying it. They would then be allowed six months to raise money to buy it. A change in planning law also means that pubs that have been designated as assets of community value can no longer automatically be converted into shops – planning permission is now needed.
In approving the submissions, the council considered various factors including:
• The Pheasant Inn has had continuous community use of about 180 years and hosts regular quizzes, card nights and DJ sessions, as well as providing a function room free of charge which is used by the local community. It also hosts darts and pool teams and is a meeting place for the Royal Society of St George
• The March Hare hosts regular bingo nights as well as darts and pool teams, and has been used by the local community for weekly meetings such as age concern, coffee mornings and widowers groups
• Although the Old Angel closed in March 2016 it is due to re-open – it furthers the social well-being and interests of the local community by hosting live music
• The Horseshoe Inn has had continuous community use of about 160 years and hosts weekly card games, disco/karaoke sessions. The pub has its own pool table, darts board and board games
• The Horse and Groom, which was once the Shipstone’s Brewery social club and brewery tap, has served the local community for over 100 years. Several groups, including the Nottingham branch of CAMRA, meet there and a function room is well used by the local community for events such as private parties and celebrations. It also hosts live music, dance nights, charity events and quiz nights
• The Trent Navigation Inn hosts live music several times a week and is used by the local community for events such as private parties and celebrations. It is also a long-standing meeting place for Notts County and Nottingham Forest fans, whose football grounds are nearby
• The Plough hosts live music and weekly events including quiz nights, and its function room has been used by the local community for events such as private parties and celebrations
• The Rose and Crown has a beer garden, darts board, pool table and function room which are enjoyed by the local community, and hosts quiz nights, private parties, celebrations and meetings
• The Three Wheatsheaves hosts live music, televised sporting events and quiz nights, as well as having a pool table, darts board, beer garden and is used regularly by the local community for weddings, private parties, meetings of groups and celebrations.
The Portland on Portland Street, Arboretum, was also nominated by CAMRA to become an asset of community value, but this has been turned down, as it was felt that no important social and community function beyond its use a commercial public house had been identified.
Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, Councillor Jane Urquhart, said: “Designating pubs as assets of community value recognises the important role they can play as community hubs and puts in a level of protection against them being lost to redevelopment or demolition.
“Not all pubs necessarily meet the criteria outlined by the Government to merit this special status, but I’m pleased we have been able to grant it in nine of these ten cases. I expect regulars at the successful pubs might raise a glass or two to celebrate that their ongoing contribution to local community life is now recognised and more secure.”
Pubs previously designated Assets of Community Value by Nottingham City Council:
Admiral Rodney, Wollaton
Beechdale, Beechdale Road, Bilborough
Boat Inn, Lenton
Colonel Burnaby, Radford
Crown Hotel, Western Boulevard
Duke of Cambridge, Mapperley
Fairham Hotel, Clifton
Ferry Inn, Wilford
Fox Hotel, Valley Road, Basford
Gladstone, Carrington
Hole in the Wall, Arboretum
Johnson Arms, Lenton
Lord Nelson, Sneinton
Nag’s Head, Nuttall Road
New Foresters Inn, St Ann’s
Newstead Abbey, Bulwell
Old Pear Tree Inn, Basford
Royal Oak, Bulwell