Save The White Lion NEWS Update #3

A summary of the latest minutes from the Steering Group’s meeting on 18th November, provided by Margery Hookings:

Work is going on behind the scenes to re-open the White Lion in Broadwindsor as a community pub. The community needs to raise at least £30,000 to make it happen.

The Steering Group comprises:

• David Leader (Chair)
• Elaine Leader
• Susanna Newall
• Chris Newall
• Sandra Burrows
• Charles Ouin
• Luke Pickering
• Andrew Hookings
• Margery Hookings
• John Heys
• Fraser Hughes
• Chris Edgerley
• Rick Dyke.

 The following is a summary of the latest meeting, excluding commercially sensitive or personal information.

Save the White Lion, summary of meeting 18/11/21

Community Benefit Society application – because of changed criteria, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) turned down our application.  It is not worth us appealing due to time, money and the FCA is unlikely to back down so we now need a new legal structure.  This is likely to be a Community Interest Company. Investigations and communication continue. [This means the community pub is not likely to open until early 2022.]

Applicants – we are in contact with two sets of people who have applied to run the pub.

Business plan – This continues to be updated. Cash flow in the first year will depend on the starting date.

Grants and fundraising:

• It was hoped to hold two fundraising events before Christmas but these have been put on hold because of high covid rates locally. Local musicians are planning to stage a gig on Saturday 15 January 2022 at Comrades Hall in aid of the Save the White Lion fund, for which the committee is very grateful. Committee members will be on hand to run the bar and man the door.
• There has been a gradual decline in numbers at Comrades Arms, possibly because of covid, but the pop-up bar continues to raise money for the community pub campaign. [£1,750 so far.]
• Grant-making bodies need to know our legal structure before we can proceed with grant applications.
• We will need a public meeting to seek funding from the community. A certain amount of detail about the plans will be within the prospectus, along with display boards. The date of this meeting and the way forward hinges on the outcome of discussions about the legal structure of the community business.
• A Christmas card featuring an adaptation of John Iveson’s painting of the White Lion will be available for sale in packs of five for £2.50. These will be on sale at the shop. An initial print run of 500 was agreed.

Refurbishment:

There has been a constructive meeting with Palmers. Builders have been working recently on behalf of the brewery at the back of the pub.

Banner – Chris E has made enquiries re a large banner which will be purchased and placed in a prominent position once we go back to the community at a public meeting.

Tree lights in the Square – Palmers have agreed to a Christmas tree above the pub door.

Next meeting – the next meeting will be held once we have an update on the new legal structure to take the project forward.

SaveTheWhiteLion.Org

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