With regard to The Windmill Pub ...

[Tim Lund]

as of a report to Mayor and Cabinet, Dec 4th, para 6.5

the owners are currently appealing to the First Tier Tribunal against the Council’s internal review decision to formally list the Windmill Pub. The nominator - CAMRA are currently being consulted as to whether they wish to join the appeal as a second defendant. The Council are awaiting further information from the Tribunal regarding this and as such no date has yet been set for the hearing. Additionally the Council has received formal notice from the owners of their intention to dispose of the asset, which has triggered an initial moratorium period where the nominating group have been invited to confirm their intention to bid on the property. Other eligible community groups in the area will also have the opportunity to make an intention to bid and information on this is being circulated via the Local Assembly coordinating groups in the area and is also on the Council’s website - http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/getinvolved/ ... ty-assets/. If any intentions to bid are received before the moratorium ends at 5 pm on the 19 November, this will trigger a further 6 month moratorium which is designed to give the bidding community group time to raise the funds to offer to purchase the property. Although the Localism Act makes provision for the moratorium periods, it does not give the bidding groups a first right of refusal, determine the price at which the asset can be sold or restrict who the owner should eventually sell the asset to. The Windmill Pub remains closed.

[Eagle]

Very sad , we can ill afford to lose pubs , they are a great meeting point for society.

[Tim Lund]

I'm not sure if this is very sad or not, because it's not clear to me what is actually happening.

[Eagle]

Nor me really. I well remember Mary's valiant stand to try to maintain the pub as a community asset. I know most of us backed her in this , but unfortunately it closed.

Let us hope the owners will re consider the error of their ways. Surely better a sinner who repent...............etc

[Kirkdalian]

Tim, you're right, that makes no sense at all, or at least seems to defy the conventions of linear time.

My understanding, after talking to a family member who works in planning for a large national company, is that when a pub is listed as a community asset, there is a moratorium on anyone buying that property to develop anything other than a pub (or possibly a community meeting space) for 6 months. After the time expires, it goes back to the open market.

She was (perhaps with some conflicting interest) very opposed to the whole idea, suggesting it was government interference in the private interests of the individual.

In the case of the Windmill and the possible Sainsburys bid, I believe that there were issues for Sainsburys above and beyond local opposition - such as lack of space for deliveries - I'm sure someone more knowledgable can correct me.

I hope that we can find the right business to move into the space soon.

[Tim Lund]

I am advised that the Tribunal decision as to the listing of the Windmill is still awaited.

[Eagle]

In the light of the problems in the Supermarket sector possibly J Sainsbury not interested any more.


It would be great if remained a Pub , or similar community interest.

[Tim Lund]

Sainsbury's are out of it. As far as the owners are concerned, I assume they just want to be able to let the space to a good tenant, within the current business use class, without this necessarily being a pub.