Plymouth pub is protected from development using new law
CAMPAIGNERS were celebrating last night after 'victory' in their battle to prevent a pub being turned into student flats.
Plymouth City Council used a new law to declare a Greenbank pub an "Asset of Community Value".
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CAMPAIGN: Cllr Steve Ricketts with Friendship Inn landlord Bill Light
This is the first time the new Localism Act has been used in this way in Plymouth. It will allow locals to bid for the pub on the open market.
The Friendship was threatened with closure after its owners went into liquidation. Pubfolio Ltd, which owned 219 tenanted pubs, collapsed in 2009.
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The administrators, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, put the Friendship on the market with Christie and Co for £165,000.
Landlord Bill Light told The Herald he feared that the pub could be turned into student rooms.
Last night Mr Light, hearing of the listing, said: "That's fantastic and a step in the right direction. It's made my day. I'm looking forward to telling my regulars and I'll be having a drink to celebrate."
Mr Light enlisted the support of regulars and councillor Steve Ricketts to help save the pub on Amity Place, where he has been the manager for nearly 17 years.
The group they set up – Save the Friendship Pub – was told they had succeeded yesterday after it was entered on the council's list of Assets of Community Value.
The council did not need the consent of the owner to put the pub on the list.
Cllr Ricketts said: "It's a victory. Hopefully now no one will be able to turn it into student flats and it can stay as a pub. Ideally the administrators will now take it off the market. And they won't be able to sell it at a higher price as student flats.
"Hopefully if they still intend to sell. The price will reflect what it is – a community pub. You would assume the price would be lower.
"The ideal would be that Bill Light, the landlord, is now able to buy it himself. If not, we will have to have a decision by all the members of the community group. This pub has been there since 1840 and we want to keep it."
The council has imposed restrictions, through the Land Registry, on how the owner may dispose of the Friendship. Mr Light said he had already made an offer for the pub.
"I think I'm in competition with a developer."
17 Comments
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by jasjay
Thursday, February 07 2013, 8:51PM
“Dare i say it what a waste off time it will end up closed and become a eye sore like alot off the other pubs have maybe this councillor Steve Ricketts should try and do some real good in this city”
by jasjay
Thursday, February 07 2013, 8:50PM
“Dare i say it what a waste off time,it will end up closed and become a eye sore like alot off the other pubs have,maybe this councillor Steve Ricketts should try and do some real good in this city.”
by jasjay
Thursday, February 07 2013, 8:50PM
“Dare i say it what a waste off time,it will end up closed and become a eye sore like alot off the other pubs have,maybe this councillor Steve Ricketts should try and do some real good in this city.”
by Plymouthking
Thursday, February 07 2013, 1:08PM
“maybe a good result for 'this pub'...
but there maybe trouble ahead with this new 'act'...as;
"The council did not need the consent of the owner to put the pub on the list."
That's not right...
That's wrong...even if it did save this pub...”
by PARNELLY
Thursday, February 07 2013, 6:46AM
“Nice to see a community asset being kept.
Cllr Retard sorry Rickard should of campained more when the airport or one of the old peoples homes closed are they not community assets??????????”
by Molochius
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 7:28PM
“andypandy developers arent stupid, demand is there plainly otherwise theyd be pretty silly to invest in such devlopments”
by andypandy67
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 6:23PM
“How much more student accomodation do wde need in Plymouth? There is far too much of it here already, and new developements underway on Notte Street, and the old Buckwell Street job centre as it is!! Do we need it!!!”
by Molochius
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 1:56PM
“My point is dont expect to post on a public forum and be immune from people disagreeing with your opinion and dufferuk no **** mate I argue against people who have opinions I disagree with! in other news the sky is blue!
is this the day of the over sensitive posters or something, ill say what I like when I like and its not for you to tell me otherwise :P”
by yiddo85
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 1:44PM
“Im posting my views on here in support of the pub of which i am a regualr, i didnt post to have a debate with any one or get a reaction. Say what you like, your opion means very little to me.
From DufferUK's reply, i assume you write a lot of comments on here? so maybe you need to get out a little more instead of voicing your opionions from behind a computer screen.”
by dufferuk
Wednesday, February 06 2013, 1:35PM
“Laugh away Molochius, that's your answer to everything and everyone that disagree's with you. No skin off my nose, as I do not have the "pleasure" of knowing you, so I don't have to put up with you. Yes we all have the right to our opinions, but it just seems that if those opinions differ from yours, they are automatically wrong, misguided or just plain dumb.”