Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

The Harrogate founder of a not-for-profit organisation has received a national award for his work.

John Longden OBE, chief executive of Pub is the Hub, was given the Industry Champion Award by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) at its annual dinner.

It was presented in recognition of his work to help pubs diversify and support local communities by providing essential local services.

So far, the organisation has helped more than 600 pubs to diversify, with almost 200 of those receiving help from its community services fund. Diversification can provide village shops, community cafes and libraries, as well as allotments and even cinemas.

Receiving his award, Mr Longden said:

“You have no idea how special this is. This is also for the family of Pub is The Hub and to our family of supporters.

“We all enjoy collaborating and helping publicans in their local areas. For every £1 invested in a shop, community café, village garden or play area it creates between £8 to £9 of social value. It is the social value that helps to bind us together in this wonderful industry.”

“We believe we can inspire 1,000 projects over the next three years and we have over 50 expressions of interest at this time.”

Emma McClarkin OBE, chief executive of the BBPA, added:

“This time last year we hoped we were done with ‘unprecedented times’ but here we are again after another year of surprises, challenges, and once-in-a-lifetime events.

“And throughout all of it our pubs and brewers have remained at the heart of villages, towns, and cities across the countries, providing a place of solace and community for so many and it’s why I am really proud to stand here tonight representing our brilliant industry.”

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Early festive plans as Ripon businesses join forces

A group of Ripon independent retailers are joining forces later this month to take part in a special Christmas event, where a gift hamper worth more than £100 will be won by a lucky shopper.

The businesses – seven of them on North Street and one on Fishergate – will be open from 10am until 8pm on Thursday November 17.

There will be discounts at selected stores and shoppers are invited to enjoy a glass of fizz and a festive treat while they browse the goods and services on offer.

The participating retailers are The Castle, The GreenHouse, Memorable Moments, Carlton Couture Bridal, Absolute Bliss Health & Beauty, Eastwick, St Michael’s Hospice Shop and Halls of Ripon.

Details about the discounts and how to enter the prize draw for the hamper can be found by clicking here.

The acrimonious struggle over the former Henry Jenkins Inn in Kirkby Malzeard has taken a new twist.

Last week campaigners handed a 500-plus name petition to Harrogate Borough Council calling for part of the closed-down and derelict premises to be re-listed as an asset of community value (ACV).

But now Justin Claybourn has taken the property off the market and informed the Henry Jenkins Community Pub campaign group (HJCP) he will not sell to them ‘at any time or any price’.

Mr Claybourn, whose successful planning appeal in December 2020 gives him permission to create a single dwelling in the part of the building that he owns, is now going to press ahead with plans to convert it to residential use and create a family holiday home.

Campaigners collecting names for their petition in Harrogate.

His business associate and agent David Fielder, who owns the pub group Fielder Holdings, told the Stray Ferret:

“Since 2018 Mr Claybourn has owned the old joiner’s shop, previously known as the eastern annex of the Henry Jenkins.

“The pub closed more than 10 years ago and Mr Claybourn has become increasingly annoyed with the campaign group’s actions, in particular their third attempt to have his property listed as an ACV even after his successful planning appeal.

“He directly holds HJCP responsible for the cost of defending the three ACV applications but further in his opinion the cost of his planning appeal. These costs exceed £25,000.”

Mr Fielder added:

“Over the past 10 years, nobody, including HJCP, has made a bid meeting the criteria that the property was on offer for — i.e. backed by hard cash, not pledges.

“With this in mind, following the latest move by HJCP, my client asked me to formally instruct them that his property has been removed from sale and will not return to the market.

“I was also instructed to advise them that due to their actions and costs they have made Mr Claybourn incur he would never consider a sale of his property at any time or at any price to HJCP.”

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Richard Sadler, press spokesman for the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group, said:

“This statement comes as no surprise to us and changes nothing:  The only reason the Henry Jenkins has stood empty for the last 10 years is that Mr Fielder — and latterly his associate Mr Claybourn — have refused to sell it to anyone.

“We have submitted to the council statements from three prospective private buyers who wanted to buy and refurbish it as a pub and restaurant — including a Michelin two-star trained chef —  but they were told either that the asking price had been vastly inflated or that the pub had been sold.

“The Henry Jenkins Community Pub group has since made five offers to buy the pub at or above the price set by an independent valuer – but all these offers have been refused.”

“Despite this – and despite previous statements by Mr Fielder saying he would never sell the pub to us – we remain open and willing to discuss terms for a purchase of the Henry Jenkins as a community facility.”

A campaign to save a historic village pub received a boost when Greg Mulholland, founder of the All-party Parliamentary Group Save the Pub, visited the site this week.

Mr Mulholland, the former Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West, visited the disused Henry Jenkins Inn in Kirkby Malzeard on Sunday to help launch a new associate membership scheme. 

Locals are purchasing community shares to buy the inn, which is named after a farm worker and butler who died in 1669, reputedly at the age of 169.

The associate membership scheme allows those unable to buy shares to contribute in other ways, such as by fundraising or doing refurbishment.

So far 180 villagers have raised £210,250 from share pledges towards the £230,000 target to buy and refurbish the inn.

Pub champion Greg Mulholland (centre), of Campaign for Pubs, with supporters of the Henry Jenkins community pub initiative outside the Henry Jenkins in Kirkby Malzeard

Mr Mulholland, who is also campaign director for Campaign to Pubs, said: 

“In these extraordinary times it is more important than ever that we save pubs in rural communities and the Campaign for Pubs fully supports the campaign to save the Henry Jenkins Inn.

“The community in Kirkby Malzeard has been heroic in its campaign and fundraising to save this important historic village pub and preserve a part of local history and heritage.”

The Henry Jenkins Community Pub Ltd has had four offers to buy the pub rejected by the owner, who would prefer to sell it for housing.

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Campaign for Pubs is lobbying for a change in the law so that no historic pub can be demolished or converted when a group or individual is prepared to buy it as a pub at the independently assessed value.

Dave Robinson, chairman of the Henry Jenkins Community Pub Ltd, said:

“We’re delighted to have Greg’s support and we look forward to working with Campaign for Pubs to help secure the future of the Henry Jenkins and other much-loved pubs in Yorkshire and beyond.”