The community of Blackheath, a few miles south east of Guildford, has fighting to save its pub, appropriately named the Villagers. The pub was originally closed in 2011 so that part of the site could be redeveloped as housing. Planning permission was grated on proviso that a smaller pub is created. Over a decade later the pub has not reopened leaving a hole at the centre of the neighbourhood.

The developers and Waverley Council have been trying to change the planning permission to totally do away with the pub against the wishes of the community. This decision has been subject to a judicial review which found against the Council. In the latest developments the Council is again trying to rob the community of this vital asset.

Marion Payne-Bird of the Blackheath Village Society has issued the following appeal.

The Blackheath Village Society is serious about saving its pub the Villagers. Having already successfully defended one bad planning decision by Waverley Council, we now find ourselves in the shocking position of having to do it all again and have lodged a second appeal to the high court against an even worse decision by the Council. We could really do with financial support in our quest for justice and for this reason have set up a Crowd Justice funding campaign. Could you please forward this link to those that care about saving our pubs and community spaces. Any queries or questions, please get back to me.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/save-the-villagers-pub/

Thanking you in anticipation

Kevin Travers the Surrey/Hants Borders CAMRA Pubs Officer included the following update in his AGM report.

This has been a long running campaign since the pub closed in April 2011. Most of the site has already been redeveloped as housing but with the proviso that part was retained as a pub. Whilst the houses have been built, the pub has never reopened and last year the local community won a judicial review against the Council for granting planning permission to convert the pub element to housing.

Following the conclusion of the judicial review the Council reconsidered the application. I submitted a further objection, which highlighted the lack of firm evidence about viability and the ongoing unwillingness of the owner to sell the premises at a realistic market price,reflecting the potential viability as a pub. I also included new information from CAMRA centrally around pub opening figures and highlighted the Barley Mow, The Sands as an excellent example of a successful pub recently purchased and run by the local community.

Disappointingly despite the number and strength of objections the Council approved the planning application. The Blackheath Village Society (BVS) now want to take the approval to a further judicial review as they consider the decision flawed. I agree that the Council has acted disgracefully and the decision is certainly open to challenge. However, any action in the courts is bound to be very costly and funding for this would need to come from what the community can raise themselves, as there are no sources of funding for legal action like this. They have therefore recently launched a Crowdfunder to see if they can raise sufficient monies to fight this decision.