Campaign to save pub near Cheltenham

The Craven Arms in Brockhampton has been closed since October - citing rising costs.

Author: Harry LongPublished 6th Jan 2023

Residents from a village near Cheltenham have started a petition to stop an application to turn their local pub into a residential property.

The Craven Arms in Brockhampton is a 16th century building - and has been closed since October citing rising costs.

Owner Barbara Price has submitted a planning application to Cotswold District Council - for a change of use of the building from public house to residential dwelling.

The pub has been on the site since 1935.

Yvette Ruggins, from the Save our Pub Group, said: "We have to acknowledge that the pandemic and the cost of living issues are there - but they're not going to be there forever. There are plenty of pubs in the Cotswolds that have similar issues and they have managed to not only survive but thrive.

"We're very concerned - we love our pub, it's a 16th century building, it's been a pub since the mid 19th century. "

"We're working with great organisations such as CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale), community ownership, and getting the assets registered as an asset community value is all underway, and the Parish Council has been very active in that area as well."

Owner Barbara Price said: "It was a heartbreaking decision to close The Craven Arms, a great village pub that I have dedicated myself to for the last 18 years. Regrettably, the impact of COVID and the current cost of living crisis has meant the doors had to close. Unfortunately, this is a national problem affecting many pubs across the country, not a local issue only impacting the Craven Arms."

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.