Community groups given chance to bid to run village pub

Community groups have just over a month to say whether they want to buy a pub in Guilden Morden that is listed as an Asset of Community Value after the current owners notified a local council they plan to sell it.

South Cambridgeshire District Council has launched a special six week period where community groups can register their intention to bid for The Three Tuns Pub in Guilden Morden.
If a group steps forward before Monday 11 September with an intention to bid for the pub, it will then trigger a further period in which they can get together their business case and finances and submit a formal offer to the owners before 1 February 2018.

The pub was nominated for listing as an Asset of Community Value by Guilden Morden Parish Council in October 2014 under the Government’s rights and powers for communities as part of the 2011 Localism Act. This gives community groups time to pull together detailed bids if a listed asset is put up for sale.

The deadline for registering an interest in bidding for the pub is 5pm on Monday 11 September. 
The pub owner does not have to accept any bid from community groups, and at the end of the six months it can be sold on the open market.

The Government legislation was put into place to help communities to take over assets and land of local significance, such as local pubs, shops and recreation grounds.

Further details about The Three Tuns proposed sale and opportunities to bid are available on South Cambridgeshire District Council’s website – www.scambs.gov.uk/community-right-bid.

The Council’s website also has details of the Right to Bid process and assets listed on the register in South Cambridgeshire.

Cllr Nick Wright, Deputy Leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “The village clearly values the pub as it has been listed as an asset on our register. I am really pleased we are able to help communities have a genuine opportunity to take on local assets that they feel are important to village life. The vital thing is for groups to register their intention to bid in the next few weeks as this gives them the time to get funding and a formal offer in place before the sale is opened up to the market.”