The picture being used is adapted from an original painting by Hursey resident, John Iveson.
Cards are available in sets of 5 in compostable wraps at Broadwindsor Community Stores now, priced at £2.50.
All profits to the Save the White Lion fund.
Why not use Scout Post too? More HERE.
A message from landlord of the Comrades Arms, Andrew Hookings:
“Sadly due to a long standing booking the bar will be closed on Friday and Saturday nights, but will reopen and return to normal service on Sunday 28th November between 12 noon and 3pm and then Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights from 6pm until further notice.
Details shortly of Christmas and New Year opening times.”
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:
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:
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.
A summary of the latest minutes from the Steering Group’s meeting on 18th October, provided by Margery Hookings:
Work is going on behind the scenes to re-open the White Lion at Broadwindsor as a Community Pub. The community needs to raise at least £30,000 to make it happen.
The Steering Group comprises:
The following is a summary of the latest meeting, excluding commercially sensitive or personal information.
Save the White Lion, summary of meeting 18/10/21
Community Benefit Society application –
Slight delay while the Plunkett Foundation, which is advising us, talks to the Financial Conduct Authority about the legality of the set-up before we can go to the community with a share offer. We should know within three weeks.
Grants and fundraising –
Broadwindsor Group Parish Council has agreed a grant of £5,400 which represents three years’ grant all in one go. A great deal of work has been carried out to identify suitable grant-making bodies. It is difficult to pursue these while we await confirmation of the legal set-up of the organisation running the pub. Comrades Arms had made a profit of £700 in the first two weeks. People within the local community are working on fundraising events in the village.
Manager –
There have been several expressions of interest so far. Discussions and advertising ongoing.
Business plan –
An abridged version has been amended to include skill sets and this will be used in grant applications. A three-year cash flow will be put into the plan. Firm costings for the refurb will need to be included in the plan.
Refurbishment –
A great deal of time and research has been put into structural work and furnishing needed before the pub can reopen. This has to be costed to put into the business plan. Volunteers have offered help with structural work. The Steering Group was unanimous on the proposed physical layout of the pub and furnishings as per the plan drafted in conjunction with the brewery. More details will be unveiled when the community is approached to buy shares.
The next meeting is due to be held on 1 November.
Bradley White, reporter for the Bridport & Lyme Regis News spoke with Steering Group Chair, David Leader and published the following:
VILLAGERS are hoping to raise their glasses this Christmas as they strive to launch their community pub.
The White Lion in Broadwindsor is set to reopen with the village’s residents at the helm.
The Palmers pub closed in the summer and since then there have been negotiations with regard to the community taking it over.
A steering group was put together consisting of a number of villagers with expertise in running pubs and community venues, along with a solicitor and some parish councillors.
The group has been in talks with Palmers in recent months after a survey revealed 95 per cent of respondents were in favour of the White Lion being run as a community pub.
There is currently a ‘principle agreement’ in place between the steering group and Palmers, with a contract expected in the near future.
Parish councillor David Leader is leading the project.
He said: “It’s exciting and it is going very well. A lot of people are investing a lot of time and effort in trying to make this happen and there’s a lot to be encouraged by.
“Things have moved on positively in terms of discussions – we’re not there yet but we have draft legal agreements which are being worked on.
“Whilst there is not currently a contract there are principle agreements in place with Palmers but there are several things which need to be ironed out.
“In an ideal world we would like to be open for Christmas. There are a number of factors which could delay that date but that is what we are aiming for.”
The next part of the plan will be to raise the funds needed to cover liabilities, refurbishment and the initial purchase of stock. The steering group estimates around £30,000 will need to be raised.
One of the ways the group hopes to achieve this is through a community share issue, in which members of the community can buy into the project in exchange for voting rights.
In order to go through with this, the pub needs to be incorporated as a not-for-profit business, which the group are hoping to go through this month. At this point the group will be out and about in the village to drum up support.
In the meantime, members of the steering group have started up ‘the Comrades’ Arms’, a makeshift pub run out of the Broadwindsor Village Hall.
Mr Leader said: “The Comrades’ Arms has been opened as a temporary measure so that there is an open pub in the village. It is also a way which we can raise funds and a smaller project for the steering group to prepare them for the running of the pub.
Mr Leader added that there are a number of fundraising activities being planned for the coming weeks.
On behalf of the Steering Group, Margery Hookings released the information below. This information will also be displayed at The Comrades Arms, on the Parish Council’s website and on various noticeboards. Many questions that Broadwindsor.org has received and asked on your behalf are answered here 🙂
Over to Margery…
Work is going on behind the scenes to re-open the White Lion at Broadwindsor as a community pub.
A Steering Group is meeting regularly to move the project forward. It comprises:
Between them, group members have a wide range of skills and experience. We believe that securing the right deal with Palmers represents the best – and only – chance for the White Lion to re-open at the heart of our community. We want it to happen, and we know the community does too. We need to raise at least £30,000 to make it a reality.
Agreement with Palmers has been reached but not yet signed. We can’t tell you all that’s been happening because some of the detail is commercially sensitive. However, it’s our intention to publicise a summary of our meetings to keep you updated as best we can.
Community Benefit Society application – due to be incorporated within next 3 weeks. Share issue put to community (like the village did for the shop).
Business plan – final version almost ready. All payments need to be made by end of year 3.
Funding – seeking grant from Broadwindsor Group Parish Council. Applications to grant funding bodies identified as most likely to support project. Comrades Arms trading well, taking £1,200 in first four days.
Two villagers planning two events in aid of Save the White Lion, in addition to regular discos where bar takings will go to pub fund. More details soon.
Yard of ale fundraising ‘thermometer’ to be placed in the Square.
Bank account – can be started only when we are a Community Benefit Society.
Job advert for manager/chef – not much response yet. Exploring other outlets.
Logo – new logo in consultation with Palmers. Original pub sign (pre-dating existing one) by George Biles will be displayed internally.
Refurbishment – ongoing discussions on updating interior and adapting layout for ambience, efficiency and increased number of covers. Kitchen left sparkly clean by Spike and Vikki. Now to cost kitchen equipment etc for business plan.
Timeline – end of October/early November – approach community on share issue.
Christmas/New Year – hope to be open.
Broadwindsor.org has had several enquiries and photos sent in over the last couple of days due to of all the activity taking place at the White Lion: painters outside… lights on inside… lights on in the evening… had anything been agreed?
The doors, windows and fascia boards have been rubbed down and painted in preparation for the day when the White Lion reopens its doors.
Steering group chairman David Leader said: ‘It’s fantastic to see that Palmers are investing in the White Lion. All the outside woodwork is being cleaned, prepared and repainted. This will make a huge difference to the appearance of such a beautiful historic building which sits at the heart of our community. We are very grateful to Palmers.’
On Tuesday 5th October, previous landlords Spike and Vikki handed in their keys as their tenancy came to an end and they said a final goodbye to the place that was their home for nearly four years. On Facebook Vikki thanked all for their support and wished all well for the future.
The Save The White Lion steering group continue to work hard behind the scenes to re-open and run the White Lion as a Community pub. Keep up to date on the website: https://savethewhitelion.org.
Grant applications to various funding bodies have been submitted and a share issue is being prepared to be offered to villagers. The Steering Group published an advert two weeks ago seeking a live-in manager – More info HERE.
More details are expected soon. Steering group member Margery Hookings now has the position of keeping us all informed. 🙂
The Steering Group of the Save The White Lion campaign released a job advertisement this morning. We are assured that negotiations with Palmers continue to move forward positively. The Steering Group have applied to the regulatory authorities to have the Community Pub set up as a not-for-profit legal entity and this will take 4 weeks.
The Group need to go through this process to “search for a talented couple or individual to take control of the day-to-day operations, likely to be around December ‘21 or January ‘22“.
“We’re seeking a couple or an individual who can bring both aspects. You’ll be experienced, with a proven track-record of building great food-led businesses, and of course running a bar with well-kept ales and a wide variety of wines and cocktails. You’ll define and shape the menu, source local ingredients, and build a reputation for quality. And always a warm welcome and excellent service.”
To apply for this position, please contact info@savethewhitelion.org in the first instance.
To read the full advertisement – Click HERE.
Cameron Farquharson, the local farmer who has become more well known because of his Gladis’s Law; Protecting livestock, informing dog owners campaign will feature in a new series on Channel 4 called Perfect Pitch.
In what is described as an eclectic cast of camping connoisseurs, they tour Britain’s beauty spots in search of the perfect pitch. The first episode is on Monday, 27th September on Channel 4 at 5.30pm. The episode featuring Cameron & his family is due to be broadcast on 11th October, 5.30pm.
Having your canine companion dog-napped would be a horrendous ordeal. Sadly this crime is on the increase. A petition calling on the Government to make dog theft a specific offence had gathered over 316,500 signatures meaning it is well over the threshold to be considered for debate in parliament.
Around 29,000 people across the South West have contributed their signature to the cause. There are measures you can take to reduce the risk of this happening to you.
Becky Simmonds is a professional dog walker and part time rescue worker. She is part of an international team at BreedAdvisor which consists of experienced professionals, from trained Vets to Dog Breeders. Their sole purpose is to bring you accurate, helpful information you can trust.
They advise: (Click the image for further information):
They also have informative pages on all the following dog breeds:
Click on the image to be taken to the active web page and scroll down.
