Villagers near Banbury campaign to save pub from being converted into home

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Residents of Great Bourton have set up a campaign to save their village pub from being converted into a home.

The former Hook Norton Brewery pub, The Bell Inn, has been closed since 2023.

In May last year, the pub was purchased by developer James Day with the intention of converting it into a family home.

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Since then, the villagers, alongside leader of the Conservative group at Cherwell District Council Cllr Eddie Reeves, have been rallying to save the pub by setting up the Save The Bell campaign group and launching an online petition.

Great Bourton residents are campaigning to save The Bell Inn.Great Bourton residents are campaigning to save The Bell Inn.
Great Bourton residents are campaigning to save The Bell Inn.

Campaigners have also nominated the pub as an Asset of Community Value with the district council, meaning they believe it is essential to the village as a venue for social well-being and the social interests of the community.

So far, more than 70 people have submitted their objections to the plans on Cherwell District Council’s planning application page.

Many of those who have objected to the plans say the pub is a vital community hub and fear that the loss of it would harm the character of the village.

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Some also stated that the loss of the pub would heavily impact older villagers who are not able to drive or walk long distances and therefore unable to visit other social spaces.

One Great Bourton resident who wishes to remain anonymous said: “The Bell Inn was an important meeting place for the villagers, especially the aged and the immobile and disabled.

“It offered services to the crematorium for wakes; it held Aunt Sally nights, darts nights, WI meetings, a dominoes team, quiz nights, and live music and catered for birthday parties and sporting events.”

The resident also says that the pub was a big draw for tourists staying at the village’s Barnstones Caravan Site or visitors to Fairport's Cropredy Convention in nearby Cropredy.

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They said: “The Bell Inn in the past has formed part of the Fairport Cropredy Convention fringe festival, hosting live music bands over that period and operating as a meeting place for all the festivalgoers (which is typically around 20,000 people), and this lasts for roughly a week.”

Cllr Eddie Reeves said: "I am a passionate believer in village pubs. They matter to rural communities.

“Having grown up in a village nearby that almost lost its pub, I have seen first-hand how the community ownership model can resurrect and make a pub tick. I am therefore delighted to help in any way I can to give residents' efforts every change of success.”

In the planning application’s planning statement, it said: “The previous brewery company owner concluded that a continuation of their ownership would fail to service their business interests, and this resulted in a decision to offer for sale the freehold of the property with vacant possession.

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“The applicant purchased the property in May 2024 and proposes to convert it to use as his family home.

“The proposed alterations to this building are minor and would be sympathetic to the form and character of the main building and the wider area. The proposed works would not cause any impact on the residential amenity for neighbouring occupiers, given the context of the site and the minor nature of the proposals.”

People have until Saturday, January 11, to comment on The Bell Inn plans on Cherwell District Council’s website.

For more information about the Save the Bell campaign, visit: https://www.savethebell.co.uk/

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