LATEST NEWS:  Save our Pub, The Stables Update. ✨ Christmas Cheer: Great News for The Stables!

We have some wonderful news to share with the community as the year draws to a close!

We’ve learned that the planning application for the Hullavington Arms has been approved! This is fantastic news for the village and a monumental step toward starting the essential refurbishment work on The Stables.

While the specific details and schedule are still being finalised, we have arranged a meeting with the owner for late January. We promise to share all the exciting developments and timelines with you shortly after the new year begins.

We wish everyone a safe and joyous festive season. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2026, and to celebrating the return of our cherished village pub!

Jan Lloyd, on behalf of the Hullavington Benefits Society

Hullavington Community Benefit Society exists in order to carry on business for the benefit of the community and its Objects are “to run a community café and pub for the benefit of the village and the wider community”.

Forming a Community Benefit Society was a legal requirement when we were positioning ourselves to apply for Government funding; buy the premises; provide shareholders the opportunity to buy shares; etc; and whilst circumstances have changed with the owner of the Hullavington Arms and Stables now proceeding with the renovations, fit out, and operational running, we feel it is important to maintain the Society for any future opportunities that may arise.

As a reminder:

• Our longer-term aim is for a Community Purchase from the Owner
• We welcome any initiatives that would help us ‘acquire’ the Stables
• Significant funding would be welcomed
• If you have any ideas that would help us ‘acquire’ The Stables for the community, then please contact us!

SAVING OUR VILLAGE PUB

Background: The Hullavington Arms was Hullavington’s last pub. It was built to serve the railway workers living in a camp outside the village as they made the Great Western Railway line. The pub wasn’t built to last – it was drafty, cold, poorly insulated, and acoustically challenged. With Covid closely followed by the energy crisis its closure in 2021 wasn’t a surprise.

Reflections of 2024: In early 2024, having extensively canvassed the views of the Villagers, local businesses, councillors, etc, we knew we knew we had an ‘unwritten mandate’ to save a much needed community pub, restaurant and café.

A meeting with the owners’ representative confirmed the willingness of the owner to sell The Old Stables as a replacement community pub and from thereon we hit the ground running, with momentum growing every day!

With so much ground to cover, and with the valuable support of volunteers, industry experts, the Plunkett Foundation, and the drive of the Management Committee and dedicated workstreams, we made great progress, preparing our Business Case and application for Community Ownership Funds (COF), which if successful, would have given us the opportunity to buy, renovate and run The Stables as a Community Benefit.

By using our volunteer resources, we looked at the building fabric and renovation; identified fundraising opportunities; kept the community informed; had support from the 185 households that pledged £77,000; and received a pledge of £10,000 from Parish Council. We maximised the Plunkett Foundation support as experts in community acquisitions and had support from politicians and council representatives; and even the local press showed interest!

……… but sadly, despite best endeavours and readiness to submit the Business Plan, the opportunity to apply for Government funding through COF was withdrawn due to the announcement of the General Election. With no cash, we were unable to proceed at that time – although we are aware that the Government’s current Right to Bid may change to a Right to Buy, which could be useful in the future and we hope his could be decided by the end of 2025.

Current and future plans: with insufficient funds to buy the Stables, the Owner is now intending to undertake the renovation; fit out; and running of The Stables which is great news!

There are stringent Planning Conditions that he must comply with, which are advantageous to us, including:

• The Public House, restaurant and café must be fully completed prior to first occupation of the residential development within the Hullavington Arms or adjacent land.
• The Stables sole use is as a public house, restaurant and café.

We understand that, as renovations progress, the owner will advertise for prospective tenants. The Management Committee will continue to liaise with the owner and keep you informed.

What else can you do to help us? If you have any ideas or suggestions for how we could raise enough money to potentially purchase The Stables, or are aware of any available land that could be used for the purpose of a community pub, café and restaurant, then we would love to hear from you? Otherwise, we will continue to keep you informed as developments are made by the Owner renovating and operating The Stables and will look at any opportunities that may come our way!

Pledge your support? 185 households have already shown their support, with £77,000 being latest sum pledged in 2024, plus an agreed donation of just under £10,000 from our Parish Council. We are extremely grateful for that level of support and whilst we are not currently able to seek to purchase The Stables for the community, knowing that we have continued support is enormously helpful.

We also know that some household circumstances may have changed – people will have moved into / out of the area, so if you would like to update; renew; or submit a further pledge of support that would be fantastic.

The important thing to note is that no money changes hands; there is no commitment; and as and when circumstances change in the future, you will be contacted again. This is purely a way of us continuing to demonstrate an interest.

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CONTACT: we welcome you contacting us, whether in person, via e-mail or by the contact form below.

Jan Lloyd, Chair & Secretary: Janlloyd6@gmail.com

Mandy House, Vice Chair: mandyehouse@gmail.com