Wishing all our supporters a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2026.

So what did we achieve in 2025?

Looking at the White Lion, particularly at this festive time of year, it may be difficult for you to see any progress. For one more year this important local facility can’t be used for the purpose it exists for, namely bringing the community together.

The property deteriorates more, with holes in the roof, and the land being used as a dumping ground by possibly the Owner and others.

We also had the usual ‘Traveller’ visit.

However this year did see some ‘wins’ for the community and the supporters who share the aims of the group.

1/ We achieved a historic 3^rd listing of the White Lion as an Asset of Community Value. The ACV request from the group passed the initial vetting by SODC, then a face-to-face appeal with the Council and the Owner, and finally a Tribunal dismissed his further appeal. We hold that listing until 2029.

The Tribunal comments were very forthright…..

The Judge noted that there were two conditions for the ACV to be granted, first was there evidence in the recent past that the White Lion had furthered the social well-being of the community, and secondly was it realistic that sometime in the next five years that the White Lion could further the social well-being of the community.

While it is now well established that in the past the White Lion did further social well being, there is no definition of what is the “recent past”.  In this case, the judge noted 'the long history of the White Lion as a community facility, well over a century, and thus it was reasonable that the recent gap of 10 years or so did not break the pattern of the recent past 100 years'.

Turning to the second requirement, the efforts by the Community Group have borne fruit, in that the creation of the Community Interest Company, the  number of supporters  we have, the preparation and submission of a business plan and the several offers to purchase the White Lion all carried weight in demonstrating that it was realistic that , in the next five years, the White Lion could further social well-being.

The District Council (Thank you SODC) put a huge amount of work into supporting the ACV nomination, and contesting the Appeal by Mr Sandhu. The bundle of evidence was over 300 pages, and, in addition to the evidence of the Community Group, the statements of support from the wider community were included. The names of supporters were redacted. So if you were one of those who wrote in, you will be pleased that your effort was appreciated and rewarded.

SODCs comments in their submission to the Tribunal showing that holding on to the empty property was trying to defeat the ACV legislation. They said-

' If an owner was set against an (ACV) nomination and an (offer from) the Community Interest Company and could leave an asset empty believing that the longer the asset remained empty, the more challenging it would be for the nominee to demonstrate recent past, that could be used to frustrate the purpose of the legislation. I don’t believe the legislation was designed to frustrate the process. The approach towards the closure again, in my view, formed part of the relevant context when considering the recent past.'

'As set out above, I noted that the owners position on the property remaining empty until the ACV listing was removed. Clearly this was something that I had to consider. However, I did not think that I could treat that statement as definitive. Otherwise, again, it has the potential to defeat the purpose of the statutory regime'.

(Brackets are added to give context to the wording)

2/ We have received continued support from our local SODC District Councillor, Peter Dragonetti, and enhanced that with support from our County Councillor, and Goring District Councillor Maggie Filipova-Rivers and also support from our MP Freddie van Mierlo.

We extend our thanks for their support in their individual areas of expertise.

Our current MP has proved to be of greater assistance than the previous one and we have been able through him to raise the Issue of blighted commercial property with the relevant Ministry and the Minister steering the new Devolution Bill through Parliament. This Bill will give the community a ‘Right to Buy’ such listed property as the White Lion should it come onto the open market.

3/ We once again had a chance to show the local community of our continued resolve to save the White Lion as a ‘Community Pub and more’ at the Whitchurch Hill Fete. We welcomed the support we got in setting up and running the Bar, and all the comments of support from existing supporters and welcomed some new ones. There is nothing like face-to-face feedback and it was all so positive. Thanks once again to all who supported this venture.

4/ And now the Elephant in the room…

Following the Budget there has been a lot of comment on the effects on the hospitality industry. Can it survive?

Well we keep a close watch on many ‘Community Owned’ Pubs and regularly look to see how they are faring. They stress it is a difficult trading environment, but also state that being community owned brings very positive benefits-

The flexibility of not having a ‘Commercial’ owner more interested in return on capital and selling tied products

The benefit of having a community supporting as customers

The benefit of the community helping design the type of Pub they want and what it offers.

The potential benefit of ‘Volunteers’ in certain areas if needed

The benefit of forming a ‘Supportive Partnership’ with the Tenant giving security to both parties.

And Finally-

Peter Dragonetti writes- While the White Lion is currently vacant, the only lawful use of the building is as drinking establishment, and the injunction granted to SODC is still valid in preventing the use for residential purposes other than as ancillary to the pub.

Overall, there are many factors that contributed to the decision by the Tribunal, and it is thanks to the efforts of the Community Group that the ACV was renewed, and there is still a prospect of the White Lion reopening as a community facility

So we wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy 2026. 

And remember we can’t do this without your support.

Our Aims.

Get The White Lion property in Crays Pond reopened as a community pub and so much more. -OR

Work with any responsible plan to reopen the White Lion as a Pub so it can be a commercial success. -AND

Support SODC with rejecting any Planning request that does not allow the White Lion to reopen as a Pub as their own planning protocols dictate