Great News… Read all about it

Hello to all our Supporters and especially to those who have made ‘In Principle’ promises of support.

We thank you all for your continuing support

As you know SODC listed The White Lion at Crays Pond as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) in 2014, and 2019 and again in 2024.

We thank all of you who helped with this matter, we could not have achieved the listing without the letters of support we received.

As you know the owner made an appeal to the council to overturn this decision and when that was rejected, he appealed to a ‘Tribunal’ to overturn the ACV decision.

The Tribunal has rejected the Owners appeal and therefore the ACV stays in place until 2029.

The Pub can’t be sold unless it is first offered to the Community first, as we have ‘Right to Bid’ for it.

Some change for the better is coming when the Government passes the ‘Devolution Bill’ as this gives the Community not simply a ‘Right to Bid’ but a ‘Right to Buy’ if the owner tries to sell the property.

Having the ACV status, also means the properties planning status as a ‘Drinking Establishment’ (Basically a Pub and Restaurant) is very unlikely to be changed whilst it is in place.

We now must consider our next steps and will seek your support in the coming months.

Thank-you for your continued support, we cant do this without you, and remember it is Community Owned Pubs that are, generally, surviving and prospering in these difficult times.