The owners wished to sell, but only for residential value. The Blackheath Village Society (BVS), a registered charity representing local residents, tried to buy the pub at full commercial value based on a professional valuation. All offers were refused.

The BVS submitted a planning application to Waverley Borough Council to subdivide the building into two cottages and a much smaller pub. Permission was granted and the building was sold to developers (Lux Homes Ltd). Unfortunately, they built two cottages, leaving the end unit undeveloped and removed the pub sign, they then applied to change the remaining unit which should have been the pub element into a house. That application was refused, briefly restoring our faith.

By this point the building had been listed as an Asset of Community Value, meaning we should have had the chance to buy it. Instead, the mortgagees sold it on a technicality, bypassing BVS entirely. The new owner also rejected all offers made at pub value and submitted his own planning application for residential use. This time, astonishingly, it was approved—partly because the pub had been closed for so long that the Council decided no one would miss it. They were wrong.

Left with no alternative, BVS took the Council to the High Court. We won. The Council capitulated and costs were awarded against them. Sadly, this did not cover everything and local supporters were left considerably out of pocket.. Painful, but worth it, we thought—surely now we could buy the pub and reopen it.

Sadly not. When the application returned to the planning committee last month, despite clear policies to protect village pubs, permission for the loss of the pub was granted again. We find this frankly incredulous, and we believe, a mis-application of planning law, and a complete waste of taxpayers’ money, as it leaves us with only one option: another judicial review.

So here we are, facing a second High Court challenge—one we are advised again has strong grounds—but at huge personal cost. This is why we are asking for help. We are determined to save our licensed café/pub, but funding yet another judicial review feels deeply unfair and is hitting our pockets hard.

We are using planning lawyers Keystone Law, who have provided us with 3 strong grounds for mounting the  legal challenge, which is to be submitted any day now. We are looking to raise in the order of £10000--£20000. The lawyers have agreed to cap their fees and we sincerley hope that this campaign will help us cover their costs.  

David is once more taking on Goliath, and we need support to win the day. All donors will be warmly welcomed for a free pint or cappuccino when we finally get the doors open again.

Thank you in anticipation.