Residents from Skelton on Ure are calling for answers about a beloved village pub that has lain dormant for two-and-a-half years.
The Black Lion pub was bought in December 2019 by Admiral Taverns, which owns 1,600 pubs across the UK.
With no sign of a sale residents are fed up and say the owners are being “extremely vague” about their plans for the future.
The pub, which sits on Skelton Lane and is close to Newby Hall, was bought by the company as part of the acquisition of 137 pubs from Marston’s brewery.
Residents said it had begun to decline just before the deal was done, but they were hopeful the new buyer could reinvigorate the country pub and restaurant.
Sandy Delf, who has lived in the village for more than a decade, said:
“We would really like it open again. Admiral Taverns just aren’t telling us anything and the pub is in a shocking state inside and out. One of my neighbours was outside weeding around it the other day.
“I think people are tired of seeing it in the state it’s in at present. There are so many opportunities, being in the location that it is.”
‘Community asset’
Another local resident, Penn Wall, said there may be an opportunity to develop around the back on the pub where a caravan park used to be:
“There is massive potential for this pub to be a great success. We have Newby Hall [nearby] which has numerous events over the year. If the pub were developed, with perhaps cabins at the back, it could be a great money-spinner for the new owners.
“There are many people who would support the pub if it was well-managed and welcoming. It would be very sad to lose such a valuable community asset, particularly when in this case so many of us feel that there is such potential.”
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With no sign of a listing online for its resale, residents are worried that the building could fall into further disrepair.
Jane Mosley added:
“As it stands now, it is an eyesore, a blot on the landscape and falling into further disrepair as the weeks pass.
“As a temporary measure, it would help if they could cover it in a building wrap like you see on some inner city building works, or paint the windows like they do in Knaresborough – anything to detract from the way it looks now.
“I am sure the directors at Admiral Taverns wouldn’t like this on their own doorsteps. Enough is enough.”
Other villagers on the village’s Facebook page suggested the only likely buyer would be a developer looking to change its use – and some agreed this would be better than the site staying in its current state.
Admiral Taverns has not confirmed whether the site is being sold as a development opportunity or as a pub.
A spokesperson said:
“We are strong believers in the importance of community pubs and our focus is always on helping our licensees to run sustainable pub businesses. After careful consideration, however, we felt in this instance that the Black Lion did not have a long-term sustainable future and therefore we’ve taken the decision to put the pub up for sale.”