Villagers band together to try and buy pub

Wadworth Brewery, owners of the Ivy Inn in Heddington, announced it was selling the building on 2 May this year.

A village group that describes a pub as "the heartbeat of the community" is trying to buy it after it was put up for sale.

Wadworth Brewery, owners of the Ivy Inn in Heddington, near Calne, announced it was selling the building on 2 May this year.

The Grade II Listed pub has been listed on several property websites with an asking price of £450,000.

Wadworth Brewery said it was "constantly reviewing the pubs across our estate and unfortunately the Ivy strategically no longer fits our long-term plans."

A Community Benefit Society called "Friends of the Ivy" has been formed to drive an initial campaign to buy the pub and develop a daytime café and meeting spaces.

Chair of the society Dr Paul Moyle-Harris said: "Plenty of other community pubs have made it happen over the past few years, no reason to think at this stage we can’t be one of them.”

Over 90% of people that took the community survey rated the pub as either very important or important

Dr Moyle-Harris told BBC Wiltshire that in 2014 a separate community group was set up and took out an Asset of Community Value (ACV) on the pub, which was renewed in 2019.

The ACV meant the owners of the property would have to notify Wiltshire Council and the group if they ever wanted to sell and prevented them from agreeing a sale for six months.

Dr Moyle-Harris said: "It doesn’t mean they have to sell it to us, but it gives the village time to put together a credible bid."

'Blown away'

Following the sale announcement, a public meeting and survey followed to gauge the community's interest in keeping the pub going.

The chair said: "Over 90% of people rated the pub as either very important or important.

"We were pretty well blown away by the level of enthusiasm in the village that wanted it to carry on as a pub and develop also a community space.”

Dr Moyle-Harris said: "It all comes down to money at the end of the day - no reason why we can't make that happen."

'Moratorium period'

Wiltshire Council said that any sale would have to wait until the end of the year.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Development Management and Strategic Planning, said: “The Ivy Inn was originally listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) on 29 July 2019, with an expiry date of 29 July 2024.

"A new nomination was submitted on 18 July 2024, which is pending a decision. Wiltshire Council as the local planning authority will consider the application in accordance with relevant policies and legislation.

“Wadworths gave notice of their intention to dispose of the asset on 2 May 2024 which triggered a six month moratorium period ending 2 November 2024, meaning they cannot complete on a sale of the asset before this date.”