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BEING SOCIABLE

...in Elmswell

The spruced-up Elmswell Tavern re-opened it's doors on the 30th July. On Friday 4th March ECE (Elmswell Community Enterprise), with the support of Elmswell Parish Council, took the reins. The Tavern was run by the community until we closed on January 1st 2023 in preparation for our refurbishment.

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Our pub fared very well over Christmas 2022 and confirmed the belief of all concerned that there is a real need for yet more community space in Elmswell and that the extra facilities that a pub environment can offer are needed and will be welcomed.

 

New Year 2023 brought the good news that our crucial first hurdle was cleared.  We attracted more than £100k in share income, allowing us to extend the offer until 15th May 2023 giving the project an essential springboard towards attracting other funding. Our 2nd share issue closed on December 31st 2023.

 

Many months of hands-on management of the Tavern have taught us much regarding the nuts-and-bolts of the refurbishment proposals and reinforced, above all, the need for kitchen facilities to service the essential food trade which supports the vast proportion of successful hospitality ventures.  

We have had to allow that our hopes of being able to support limited opening in the notoriously dead trading months cannot be realised.  Many well-established rural pubs with a healthy restaurant or pub-food offering are having to close down completely or to offer just a very limited service, at least until Easter.  On a wet-sales only basis there is little or no chance that the Elmswell Tavern can cover its fixed overheads.  Consequently it has been decided that the pub will not re-open at this point in time and that the opportunity will be taken to begin stripping-out the premises ready for the refurbishment process.  Everything of value and worth will be held securely off-site to be incorporated into the new enterprise.

 

Meanwhile the behind-the-scenes work continues to attract the funding which will dictate the scope of the Elmswell Tavern project and to maintain the momentum of support which has enabled such impressive and heartening progress so far.

  • Discussions are taking place with the District Council Planning Department before a formal application is made for refurbishment and new-build to the final agreed design...the community will be consulted both informally and throughout the planning process.

  • With planning permission secured, the project will go out to tender to well-established local builders - once this process starts the pub will be closed for some 9-10 months for the build.

  • Meanwhile, as has happened in many similar communities, the Community Enterprise Company which is now registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, will be selling shares in the enterprise, and seeking grants and loans if appropriate towards establishing a successful community business for the long term benefit of Elmswell. 

  • In parallel with this initiative, another Community Enterprise Company, Elmswell Community Land Trust, is beginning the process of seeking partners and funding towards the delivery of affordable homes on the site. These homes will always be for Elmswell people and will never be subject to any of the ‘Right to Buy’ or ‘Right to Acquire’ legislation – they stay in the village, for the village, for ever.

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