CAMRA was formed to promote good cask conditioned ales and also to protect public houses from closure. Well run pubs are often at the very heart of a local community, but are increasingly under threat as they are often worth a lot more if converted into high-rent holiday accommodation or the site used for development.

Pubs with large car parks are especially at risk to housing or commercial development.

If your local pub is threatened with closure or damaging alteration, it may well be that you want to do something about it to keep the pub intact and trading.

There are many pubs that are either not run professionally or are simply under-trading because of restricted opening hours putting them at high risk of permanent closure. The owner may claim that the business in unprofitable and could be applying for Change of Use with the council Planning Department.

As a pub lover, your first step to save a pub from closure is to try and get it nominated with a group of enthusiastic local residents as an Asset of Community Value. The process is called the COMMUNITY RIGHT TO BID.

Forms can be downloaded from the local Council website, which in the case of the West Cumbria Branch of CAMRA is Allerdale and also Copeland Council, but in the near future there may well be a single council controlling the whole of Cumbria.

The form has 3 main sections covering : 1) Your organisation 2) The asset which you wish to nominate 3) Why you believe that the asset is of community value

It states on the Allerdale site that when they receive a nomination it is checked for eligibility and the information provided is scrutinised. The council aims to assess nominations within 8 weeks of receipt, at which stage the nominating group is informed of the outcome.

If a pub is listed as an ACV it will remain on the list for 5 years and will also be placed on the local Land Charges Register, so anyone considering buying such a pub should be made aware of the ACV by their conveyancer as it is listed in the title deeds of the building.

When an asset is removed from the list, the relevant council will inform the nominating group, who may possibly wish to renew the ACV listing by making a fresh application.

If the owner of a pub is not happy with a decision to list his/her premises as an Asset of Community Value then there is an Appeal procedure with an independent body.

The link to CAMRA's Pub Saving Resources is CAMRA SAVE YOUR LOCAL, which in turn has links to : useful guidance documents on saving pubs and planning issues and Resources for listing a pub as an ASSET OF COMMUNITY VALUE

Many pubs up and down the country have been saved by the determined action of local drinkers.

Looking around Cumbria there are many villages and small towns that have sadly lost their last public house.

Pubs are talking shops as well as drinking places and every town and village is better off with a well run public house or two.

PUBS CURRENTLY REGISTERED AND THEREBY PROTECTED AS ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE IN CUMBRIA :

New Crown Inn, Bolton near Appleby. Expires 20/04/2026

New Inn, Brampton. Expires 22/11/2026

Crown Inn, Moreland. Expires 25/02/2025

Herdwick Inn, Penruddock. Expires 03/10/2023

Bridge Hotel, Kendal. Expires 26/04/2023

Castle Inn, Kendal. Expires 12/03/2025

Kings Arms, Bowness-on-Solway. Expires 09/07/2023

Hope and Anchor, Port Carlisle. Expires 09/07/2023

Highland Laddie, Glasson. Expires 31/10/2024

Swan Inn, Cockermouth. Expires 02/09/2026

Emily’s Black Lion, Ireby. Expires 30/09/2026