Andrew Hookings is re-opening the Comrades Arms at 6pm tomorrow night, Saturday 30th October and looks forward to welcoming back customers.
#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#TheComradesArms,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#ReOpen,#WelcomeBack,#Village,#Community,#PalmersBreweryA 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.
Due to the outbreak of Covid that has hit Broadwindsor, and surrounding villages, Andrew Hookings has decided to close The Comrades Arms this Friday (22nd) evening and to keep it closed until he opens again on Saturday 30th October at 6pm.
The Post Office Outreach service will continue to be in the downstairs Hall next Tuesday & Friday as usual. They will still ask people to wear face masks, keep doors open for ventilation and always ask everyone to maintain social distancing.
On Sunday 7th November from 12 noon a KNOCKOUT POOL COMPETITION will take place upstairs in the Lewesdon room at the Comrades Hall… in the Comrades Arms.
Entry is £5 with all profits going to the SavetheWhiteLion fund.
Closing dates for entries 10.00pm Friday 31st October
Matches to start from 12.15pm on Sunday 7th Nov.
Rules –
First round matches will be posted on the evening of Saturday 6th Nov., in the bar. Names will be drawn from a hat to decide the matches.
Organised by Andrew Hookings, a prize and trophy will be awarded to winner 🙂
#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#TheComradesArms,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#Village,#Community,#PalmersBrewery,#BroadwindsorCommunityStores,#PoolCompetition,#Prize,#Fundraising,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafeBradley 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. 🙂
A face-to-face meeting of the Parish Council will be held at 7.30 pm on Monday 11th October 2021 at Drimpton Village Hall. SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES WILL BE IN PLACE. All are welcome to attend.
The full agenda is available to download HERE. Minutes of previous Group Parish Council meetings can be found online HERE.
Item 4. Matters Arising – a tribute will be made to former councillor of the Drimpton Ward, Brian Hedditch.
Item 5. Public Participation will involve reports from:
Item 6. Correspondance and Notices address:
Item 8. Accounts this month:
Item 9. Planning Applications:
a. Applications Received and Circulated for Consultation
b. Other Applications
Item 10 will deliver an updated Report & Review of the Business Plan for Broadwindsor’s Community Pub Proposal. You can find out more by visiting HERE.
Item 12 has the Council looking at Adopting a New Code of Conduct.
Item 13 will address the Proposal made by a village resident at last month’s meeting, to publicise the Council’s Draft Minutes.
Item 19 is an invitation for Residents to give their views and ask questions of the Parish Council on any outstanding
issues on this Agenda or raise issues for future consideration.
Item 22 – the meeting will close.
The full agenda is available to download HERE.
The press and public are invited to attend. Under the Openess of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014, members of the public may now film, photograph and make audio recordings of the proceedings of the formal Council meeting, though not, under current legislation, of the Public Participation session, as this is not part of the formal agenda of the meeting. Recording activity should be respectful to the conduct of the meeting and behavious that disrupts the meeting (such as oral commentary) will not be permitted. Any member of the public shall not speak for more than five minutes. A question asked by a member of the public during Public Participation shall not require a response or debate during the meeting though the Chairman may direct that a written response will be provided subsequent to the meeting.
There are currently 14 Elected Councillors (Broadwindsor Ward vacancy) – Click HERE to identify them.
The contents of this post are compiled by Wendy Shields, with information taken from the Broadwindsor Group Parish Council’s website.
Download the full agenda HERE.
#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Drimpton,#Dorset,#BWGPC,#Agenda,#BGPCLT,#FMRTrust,#SchemeOfDelegation,#SocialDistancing,#Community,#DorsetPolice,#Farmers,#PlanningApplication,#ParishCouncil,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#Coronavirus,#PalmersBrewery,#CommunityPub,#CouncillorVacancy,#CodeOfConduct,#ClimateChange,#Allotments,#AffordableHousing,#Highways,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe
#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#TheComradesArms,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#Village,#Community,#PalmersBrewery,#BroadwindsorCommunityStores,#BFG,#Fundraising,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafeOpening it’s door tomorrow (Friday 1st Oct) at 6pm is The Comrades Arms in the Lewesdon Room, upstairs at the Comrades Hall in Broadwindsor.
Recently returned from France, village resident Andrew Hookings will be running the Comrades Arms as an individual, along with the support of volunteers. He did this several years ago, for a period of 4 weeks inbetween landlords Rich & Kate Moulsdale and Spike & Vikki who had the tenancy at The White Lion. It proved very successful and the proceeds, almost £2,000, went to the village hall.
Andrew commented: “The Comrades Arms will provide a venue in the heart of the community for people to get together socially and enjoy a drink, whilst the White Lion is closed.
With the “Save The White Lion” campaign getting off the ground soon, it seems appropriate for the proceeds from The Comrades Arms to go to such a worthy cause.”
As well as being open at the weekend, the Comrades Arms will be open on a Tuesday evening for those who’d like to eat their fish ‘n’ chips from Nat’s van with a drink.
With some stock and supplies, £400 worth this week, being sourced through Broadwindsor Community Stores, our village shop should benefit too 🙂
Other ales and ciders have also been sourced locally.
It is hoped that you will be able to use your debit card tomorrow night but bring cash – just in case!
#Broadwindsor,#Burstock,#Blackdown,#Drimpton,#Hursey,#Kittwhistle,#Seaborough,#Dorset,#WestDorset,#TheComradesArms,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#SaveTheWhiteLion,#Village,#Community,#PalmersBrewery,#BroadwindsorCommunityStores,#BFG,#Fundraising,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe
