1 HERTFORDSHIRE’S Pints of View The bi-monthly publication for every discerning drinker February/March 2014 Circulation 8750 No. 263 With planning permission to convert the Red Lion in Weston (near Baldock) into a house being refused by North Herts District Council, this is one of the pubs reported as being saved in our special report on this county’s pub losses and gains. Picture © Copyright Nigel Cox and licenced for reuse The Mermaid in St Albans does the double Beer of the Year awards at the Watford Beer & Cider Festival PLUS: NEWS BEER PUBS BREWERIES EVENTS SPECIAL FEATURES THE BITTER END 2 Hitchin Pub does not “further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community” - says who? ne of the practices for which pub (2), the current use of the premises as a public companies (pubcos) are taking a significant house i.e. a place where alcohol is consumed and Oamount of stick for is selling pubs off to sold, does not itself further the social wellbeing or become shops or flats. Fair enough - perhaps - if the social interests of the local community and pub has failed and closed and there's no real call for therefore is not land of community value”. it any more. But when the people running the pub It's sad but not entirely surprising to see such an really want to stay there and continue running it as objection. We do after all live in an age of neo- a pub, and when there is a prohibitionism, where various dedicated bunch of regulars groups are only too happy to happily spending money see the decline of the pub, and there, turfing them out against where alternative means of their will looks a bit mean, to buying alcohol for home say the least. consumption are proliferating. The Sir John Barleycorn is So who was it who objected to thought to be the oldest pub in the attempt to preserve a fine Hitchin, having served the old pub in its traditional use? community for about 150 Who believes so strongly that years. It's the perfect model of pubs do not further the social a community boozer, with darts on Monday, a pub wellbeing or social interests of the community? quiz on Tuesday, and crib or dominoes on Alcohol Concern? A local church group or nearby Thursday. It hosts various local sports teams and a school? A big supermarket chain? steady diet of live bands from the area. It's currently Nope. owned by Punch Taverns. These are the words of Punch Taverns, the owners Following the closure and conversion of other of the Sir John Barleycorn. A company that owns nearby pubs, a group of concerned regulars got over 4,300 pubs believes those pubs are not good together this autumn and applied to have the pub for local communities. listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). This On its website, Punch Taverns says: makes it much harder to change the use of the “At its core the Community Pub should always premises, helping preserve it as a pub for a five year provide a relaxed and friendly atmosphere for period. ACV status was introduced by the 2011 customers living in the neighbourhood. To excel, Localism Act, and was brought into effect on 21 st Community Pubs need to be at the hub of their September 2012. neighbourhood, a focal point for locals. Supporting When the Sir John Barleycorn applied for ACV the many and varied interest groups of the status, there was an objection. This objection community; darts, pool, fund raising, local schools, claimed that there was no need for the pub to be business networking, whatever they may be, is key.” protected because there were plenty of other pubs And yet here they are, vociferously protesting nearby. And anyway, many of the valuable against one of their own pubs which is doing exactly community activities listed in the application - the that, actively opposing attempts to keep one of their bands, quizzes and sports teams and so on - didn't oldest pubs trading as a pub. necessarily have to happen in a pub - they could Happily, the local council disagreed with the UK's happen in other community venues, such as, er... second-largest pub landlord, and decided that pubs well, anyway, they didn't need to happen in pubs. such as the Sir John Barleycorn do in fact perform Even though that's where they normally do. an important social function in the community. But out of three objections, point two was perhaps They awarded the pub its community asset status. the most vociferous: Pete Brown “2. The various activities mentioned by the nominee You can follow Pete Brown’s online blog at: in the application are ancillary to the use of the http://petebrown.blogspot.co.uk/ premises as a public house. They do not therefore comply with the purposes set out in Section 88 (1) of the Localism Act 2011. With regard to Section 88 3 BITTER END Special Report BITTER END Special Report 4 Pub Losses and Gains 2013 n 2013 the steady flow of pub closures has park is being prepared as a building plot for a new continued and a large number are under threat. I house. Iam reluctant to name those I know about and Goose Green: The Huntsman, closed in 2011, was reports are that trade has not improved even though finally, in 2013, granted a residential future after a the relentless tax increases have stopped. What planning change of use. could be done to help:- Harpenden: The Rose & Crown Southdown, once a 1) Change of planning regulations to make it successful and popular pub, became an Indian harder to get change of use. restaurant that failed and closed in 2011.The first 2) A complete review of the Tie which forces planning application was rejected stating that losing tenants to buy beer at inflated prices from the the pub would be detrimental to the area. It went to Brewers and pubcos who also control the rents appeal and permission to convert to housing has charged on their pubs. A review system has been agreed. The Three Horseshoes ceased trading been promised by the government but little has in February 2013. An application for change of use actually happened yet. Unless a system of fairer to residential was turned down by St Albans District rents can be implemented more publicans will Council. The new owner had moved in and started be forced out of business with inevitable pub on alterations. closures to follow. Haultwick: The Rest and Welcome , closed since Pub Losses December 2011, is still up for sale. Aston End: The Crown was put up for sale in June, Hertford: The Harts Horns was noted as being up no further information has been received. for sale in October but remains open. Bishop’s Stortford: The Red Cow Dunmow Road Hertford Heath. The Townshend Arms is closed closed in April. This is a listed building and and up for sale with Fleurets. There are three other according to a note on the door the future of the pub pubs in the village, the Goat and Silver Fox both is in serious danger. The Boars Head closed in the owned by Greene King and the more food- latter part of 2013. We have received no further orientated, pub-company owned College Arms . details on either closure. Nevertheless the Townshend offers a huge garden, The Tanners Arms has been sold by Mac’s we do conservatory, sizeable bar areas and, as a Free not know to whom at present. House, the chance to tap into the village’s real ale Borehamwood : The Crown Shenley Road closed potential. Any takers out there? 8th March 2013, was ACV listed in August, the Hertingfordbury. The Prince of Wales closed at the owners appealed in October. The hearing took end of 2013 and from what we can gather the Free place on 29th November and the decision to list House’s owner is not looking for new leaseholders, was overturned. Full details are due and what but instead is likely to pursue a planning change of happens next is not yet clear. Things do not look use to convert the building to full residential good. Woods Bar which had not sold real ale for use. This is a pub that was previously closed for a many years, has been closed and boarded up for period in 2009. We are not yet aware of any village over eighteen months, following a series of local fight to keep the pub open — their only immediate complaints. There has been an under offer sign on alternative for a beer being in the hotel bar of the the outside for about two months, who knows what nearby White Horse . the future holds? Hoddesdon: The Old Highway , Rye Park, closed in th Bovingdon: The Royal Oak closed 16 April 2013 2008, has been completely demolished. The Rose & no further details are available. Crown has been purchased by an accountant who th Chandlers Cross: The Clarendon Arms closed 14 has submitted plans to convert the ground floor into October 2013, future unknown. offices and develop the rest of the building/site as Colney Heath: The Cock ceased trading at the end residential accommodation. Again, there is local of November following permission to convert to opposition as the new extensions to the building residential being agreed in 2012. The owners who will adversely affect adjacent properties. have been at the pub for over 50 years will continue London Colney: The Golden Lion which had not to live in the pub.