The last remaining pub owned by Sam Smith’s in Knaresborough has called time and closed its doors.
The Wellington Inn, a traditional pub on Briggate, was until recently one of three pubs in the town owned by the Tadcaster-based brewery.
There was also the Marquis of Granby, on York Place, and the Commercial Hotel, formerly the Borough Bailiff, on High Street.
Allan Gauld, branch chairman, Harrogate & Ripon CAMRA said:
“Obviously we are disappointed and saddened by the closure of any pub or licensed premises. Sam Smith’s are known for offering good value prices in a traditional setting so the closure of their last house in Knaresborough is a particular blow to customer choice.
“We understand the pressures the licensed trade had been under during and since the pandemic and we hope Sam Smith’s will be able to find new tenants and the closures will not be permanent. Knaresborough has gained a good reputation for the quality and variety of its pubs and we’re sure this will continue.”
People in Knaresborough reacted with sadness to the closure on Facebook, with many expressing concerns over “yet another” empty building in the town.
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One person wrote:
“Such a shame and Knaresborough just ends up with empty buildings.”
Another added:
“What a shame, another nice pub stands empty.”
The Stray Ferret attempted to contact Sam Smith’s but has not yet received a reply.
Major setback for Kirkby Malzeard pub campaignersCampaigners in Kirkby Malzeard, seeking to purchase and restore a now-derelict village pub (pictured below) have suffered a major setback.
The Henry Jenkins Community Pub group (HJCP) has failed for a third time to have part of the building re-listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).
The campaigners – some of whom are pictured above – raised a petition of more than 500 signatures in support of their bid.
They were advised of the decision by Harrogate Borough Council, which said:
“The nomination for part of the Henry Jenkins site (the eastern part) is unsuccessful and does not meet the definition of community value as detailed in the Localism Act 2011 Section 88 (2).”
Chair of the HJCP group, Richard Sadler, said:
“We are very disappointed that despite all the evidence, the council has chosen once again to side with private developers from outside the area – rather than supporting local grass roots community groups.
“The council cut our feet from under us by delisting part of the pub – simply because the developer sold this part to his business associate. Now they have turned their backs on us again by refusing to relist this part of the pub – when the council has a clear duty to help communities in rural areas fighting to save community facilities.
“This is despite overwhelming support of local residents, local businesses, the parish council and our local ward councillor for our plans to bring back this much-loved facility as a revitalised pub, bistro and coffee shop.
“With more people working from home and greater appreciation of the importance of community hubs, there’s a crying need for a great range of facilities in this fast-expanding village. “
Mr Sadler pointed out that the group has secured more than £230,000 in share pledges from nearly 200 residents in support of plans for a community buyout.
The Henry Jenkins closed its doors in 2011 and was purchased out of administration by pub company Fielder Holdings.
In 2017 a nomination made by campaigners for an ACV listing was successful, but the eastern annex was subsequently sold by David Fielder to his business associate Justin Claybourn, who applied for and was granted planning permission to convert his part of the building into a single dwelling.
This led to removal of the CVA covering the eastern portion – a decision the campaigners have fought to overturn ever since.
When announcing its decision on the third attempt to secure CVA listing for the whole building, HBC referred to the HJCP petition, which was received by the council at its full meeting on 6 October and pointed out:
“There is nothing in the Assets of Community Value legislation or council constitution to enable the consideration of petitions, therefore this does not form part of the assessment process.
“However, it is noted that only 25 of the names on the petition are from Kirkby Malzeard itself and almost two-thirds of the signatories do not live in the Harrogate district.”
Mr Claybourn, said:
“I’m pleased that the council has made this correct and sensible decision and I now look forward to progressing plans to convert my part of the building into a holiday home for my family.”
The campaign to reopen the derelict Henry Jenkins Inn in Kirkby Malzeard as a community pub has been dealt a hammer blow.
The Planning inspectorate, a government agency that deals with planning appeals, has overturned Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for conversion of the eastern part of the site into a single dwelling.
The Henry Jenkins Community Pub Ltd sought to prevent redevelopment of the site by having the building registered as an asset of community value.
HJCPL’s 190 members raised £236,000 in pledges, with the intention of purchasing the whole Henry Jenkins site and refurbishing it.
The group was confident the council’s decision would be upheld – but Helen Hockenhull, of the Planning Inspectorate, was not persuaded by their argument.
Nine years after the last pint was pulled in the Henry Jenkins, she concluded:
“There is no reasonable prospect of the public house reopening.”
The Planning Inspectorate highlighted that Kirkby Malzeard already has the Queen’s Head pub.
In making her decision, Ms Hockenhull took into account that Kirkby Malzeard has an existing pub – The Queen’s Head – and also the fact that the Mechanics Institute, across the road from the appeal site, is licensed to sell alcohol.
The campaigners also had to overcome the hurdle that the western portion of the site, belonging to Fielder Holdings, remains available for sale or let.
The inspectorate accepted that allowing the application, made by developer Justin Claybourn, to convert the eastern annex into a dwelling, would be a disappointment, but concluded:
“I am not persuaded that the loss of the annex would make the remaining pub unviable for an alternative community use.
“The scheme would therefore not result in the unnecessary loss of a community facility reducing the community’s ability to meet its day to day needs.”
The appeal decision has been welcomed by David Fielder, who bought the shut-down Henry Jenkins from receivership in 2012 and subsequently sold the eastern portion of the building to Mr Claybourn.
Mr Fielder, whose company David Fielder Inns owns and operates 16 pubs, mainly in Yorkshire and Hambleton, told the Stray Ferret:
“Of these, 10 were closed when I bought them and nine were successfully re-opened and traded prior to covid, the only exception being the Henry Jenkins. I simply could not attract a tenant.
“Kirkby Malzeard cannot sustain two pubs, this view has been echoed by everyone I have had to view or have approached with a view to taking the Henry Jenkins on.
“There are also six pubs within 3.6 miles of the village all offering different experiences. Two have been for sale in recent years and failed to attract buyers.”
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HJCPL has no right of appeal against the inspector’s decision.
Its chairman, David Robinson, said:
“We must accept her conclusions and move on.
“It’s a blow and a big setback. We felt that we had a very strong case and we were supported at the online appeal hearing by an HBC planning officer.”
The western portion of the Henry Jenkins Inn is still available for sale or let.
HJCP’s management team must now decide whether making Mr Fielder an offer for his part of the site would enable it to create a viable community facility.