Bamford residents launch campaign to save their local pub

[lornapr]

A community in Derbyshire will launch an appeal to save their local pub this week, as they open a share plan to raise the £320,000 that will allow them to buy and manage the business as a Community Asset.

 

The Bamford Community Society aims to buy the Anglers Rest, which is the village centre's last open pub. The pub is currently for sale and the group have ambitious plans to turn it into a community hub with a pub, post office, café, bunk house accommodation and parking for both residents and tourists.

 

The group have successfully registered the pub as an 'Asset of Community Value' under the Localism Act, which means that they have until 21 November to raise the money to buy the pub at the market rate.

 

They are launching their share plan at the Village Carnival on 20 July 2013 and are urging local people and those from outside the region to invest between £250 and £20,000. They need to raise £320,000 in total to buy the building and complete initial renovations.

 

The group have been working with local residents for the past year and already have £115,000 pledged, and have finances of £150,000 in place should they be required.

 

http://www.bamford.coop

[ECCOnoob]

I wish them well but I cant help being a bit of a cynic with these campaigns.

 

I just wonder that maybe if they used their local facilities more often in the past they would not have closed.

[Bruno]

Basically what he said above.

 

Good luck tho

[fairyworld14]

Well I have very bad memories of Bamford so excuse me if I am sceptical of this latest venture . My stupid Uncle used to frequent the Bridge if I remember rightly . Please correct me if I am wrong

 

---------- Post added 19-07-2013 at 00:11 ----------

 

Sorry didn't mean about my Uncle , I meant about the name of the pub he frequented

[lornapr]

Hi All, the Anglers Rest isn't closed, but the brewery have put it up for sale. Obviously a community group that owns the building doesn't have to make enough profit to cover a brewery rental and we also have a number of additional plans (cafe etc) to diversify the business so it meets the needs of the community and is financially sustainable. There is more info about the business plan on the website.

[alchresearch]

There are some terrible pubs out in the country, then again there are some which are absolute goldmines. Same again for suburbs. A local businessman took two derelict pubs in Birkenhead which only sold John Smiths and Carling, refurbished them and made them real ale pubs with good food and they're doing a roaring trade.

 

If you have the passing traffic, and IIRC the road is a fairly popular one, then there's nothing to stop this being a success.

[Resident]

There's only one way to save a business. Use it. Clearly it's not been used enough to make the money needed to make it a viable business hence the brewery wanting rid.

[Ousetunes]

I note that Ye Derwent Hotel remains closed which is a pity. For the village to lose The Angler's Rest would be a double blow.

 

I could state the obvious, that in a difficult economic climate, many pubs - certainly those 'run' by Pub Cos - don't stand a cat-in-hell's chance. Folk don't have disposable incomes and those who do clearly choose to spend it elsewhere.

 

But to be slightly harsh, as a drinker and someone who has visited both pubs, neither has actually come across as anything other than ordinary. Indeed, my lasting memory of Ye Derwent is of opening the front door to be met by a gaggle of rubber neckers sitting at the bar with their faces laying over their pints, twisting around to see who the bloody hell it was with the nerve to enter 'their' pub.

 

I've eaten in both: nothing special. I've certainly drunk in both: ditto. Yet - a couple of miles toward Ladybower, the Yorkshire Bridge continues to do a roaring trade. Excellent food, excellent beer and from what I have heard, decent accommodation.

 

The Marquis of Grandby remains a derelict shell and an eye-sore. Three pubs within what, a mile and half and none has managed to keep going.

 

Whilst I wish you every success, if I had £20 grand to invest, I know where it would NOT be getting invested.

[alchresearch]

There's only one way to save a business. Use it. Clearly it's not been used enough to make the money needed to make it a viable business hence the brewery wanting rid.

 

It depends on the business. If it was a grotty pub that had no choice then I wouldn't use it.