Residents step up battle to save historic pub in Harrogate district from going to rack and ruin

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As one of the Harrogate district's oldest inns falls into a dilapidated state villagers have issued an urgent plea for a shake-up in planning laws to protect community pubs.

Chair of The Henry Jenkins community pub campaign group, Richard Sadler, told the Harrogate Advertiser that, after nearly a decade of campaigning it was time for the Government to change the rules to stop developers running down viable pubs so they can cash in on redevelopment as housing.

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In the latest push to save the 250-year-old Henry Jenkins pub in Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, campaigners have now written to the new Housing and Communities minister Alex Norris calling for urgent action to close loopholes in the planning system that allow developers to ignore all purchase offers so they can get planning permission for conversion to housing.

The historic inn has been closed for more than ten years as a developer works to turn it into housing, and villagers campaign to reopen it for the community.

Flashback to one of the many demonstrations against the proposed demolition of the Henry Jenkins pub, Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. Pictured is Richard Sadler. (Photograph by Simon Hulme)Flashback to one of the many demonstrations against the proposed demolition of the Henry Jenkins pub, Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. Pictured is Richard Sadler. (Photograph by Simon Hulme)
Flashback to one of the many demonstrations against the proposed demolition of the Henry Jenkins pub, Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. Pictured is Richard Sadler. (Photograph by Simon Hulme)

It had been a pub for more than 250 years and is named after a legendary character who is supposed to have lived to the age of 169-years-old.

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The new Labour Government announced plans for a new community right to buy in the King’s speech.

In July Mr Norris confirmed a “strong new right to buy” would be introduced for pubs and other community assets as part of the English Devolution Bill.

But the letter to the minister, signed by Henry Jenkins community pub campaign group chair Richard Sadler, highlights concern that this alone may not be enough to achieve the desired affect.

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History under threat - The 250-year-old Henry Jenkins pub in Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. (Picture Gerard Binks)History under threat - The 250-year-old Henry Jenkins pub in Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. (Picture Gerard Binks)
History under threat - The 250-year-old Henry Jenkins pub in Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon. (Picture Gerard Binks)

In the carefully-worded statement, Mr Sadler says: “This is very welcome. However, it is not clear whether it would address the scandal of speculative developers legally destroying viable pubs so they can cash in on the uplift in value as housing.

"As the law stands, community groups can get pubs listed as Assets of Community Value and make purchase offers - but there’s nothing to stop developers refusing reasonable offers and just sitting on pubs until they get what they want.”

Since April 2016 when the owner of the Henry Jenkins Pub applied for planning permission to demolish the pub and replace it with houses, the local community group has fought to purchase the pub and convert it to a community-owned establishment.

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Mr Sadler said six offers to buy it by the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group have been rejected and permission for a site survey refused.

Campaign - In the latest push to save Henry Jenkins pub, villagers have now written to the new Housing and Communities minister Alex Norris. (Picture Simon Hulme)Campaign - In the latest push to save Henry Jenkins pub, villagers have now written to the new Housing and Communities minister Alex Norris. (Picture Simon Hulme)
Campaign - In the latest push to save Henry Jenkins pub, villagers have now written to the new Housing and Communities minister Alex Norris. (Picture Simon Hulme)

He said the pub had now fallen into a dilapidated state, with the interior stripped out, a collapsed roof and overgrown beer garden.

The saga of this historic inn in North Yorkshire is threatening to turn into a test case for the UK’s pubs.

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The latest initiative by The Henry Jenkins community pub campaign group is being supported by Campaign for Pubs, which has launched a Manifesto for Pubs calling for stricter legislation to stop more pubs being lost to developers.

Campaign for Pubs director Greg Mulholland said: “Whilst we welcome the new Government’s suggestion of a genuine right to buy, as opposed to the current very weak right to make a bid, this in itself will not prevent the loss of pubs unless the Government stops the cynical predatory purchasing of pubs as development opportunities."