Margaret Jones

Around 20 residents attended the meeting to give their views on the recent decision by Lichfield District Council to refuse the nomination of the Black Horse as an Asset of Community Value. It was agreed that although everyone would like to see a pub in Edingale the ACV would not be achievable due to lack of a plan for community ownership. Residents could still form a group to investigate purchasing the property on the open market and to look into fund raising.

Information below:

The former Black Horse Public House, Edingale

For perhaps two decades, the former Black Horse Pub struggled as a business, with a number of different owners and yet more tenants and licensees seeking to make it sustainable. The last time the pub was open to the public was towards the end of 2020.
In 2013, Edingale Parish Council applied for and obtained an Asset of Community Value (ACV) Notice on the property from Lichfield District Council (LDC). A property can be an ACV if:
• The use of the building or land currently, or in the recent past, furthers the social well-being or cultural, recreational, or sporting interests of the local community.
• The use of the building will continue to further the social well-being of the local community.
The purpose of the ACV is to enable a community to make a bid for the property if the owner intends to sell it. The Register of ACV keeps a listing live for five years, and in 2018, the Parish Council was successful in reapplying for a further ACV which has expired this year. The Parish Council therefore asked again for the ACV entry for the Black Horse to be renewed. LDC has refused the request suggesting that the community wellbeing element of the pub is now ancillary to its main use. Our District Councillor is currently querying the refusal of the notice by LDC.
At broadly the same time, the current owner has placed the pub on the commercial market. The particulars state that “This site is ideal for continued use as either a pub or restaurant with potential for residential conversion.”
The Parish Council’s initial view is that the suggested market price of the building, when added to the costs of building repair and the refitting of the pub, is likely to make the business model of a reopened pub very hard to work successfully. However, they wished to to hear the views of parishioners about this before deciding how to handle the refusal of the Asset of Community Value determination.

Community Asset – Decision Notice – Black Horse Inn 2023

Hopefully you are aware of Edingale’s excellent success in the Staffordshire BKVC competition, winning overall in the small village section.

On Friday 3rd November Richard Winterton (key sponsor for BKVC) and Jo Cooper (Community Foundation for Staffordshire – organisers of the BKVC ) gave a presentation on the BKVC and awarded Edingale the BKVC winners sign.
See the article from the Tamworth Herald which describes the presentation event .

Edingale Village Hall newsletter Sept-Dec 23

Now that the new bus service is running through Edingale some residents may be able to use a bus pass. If you are over 66 or have a qualifying disability you can apply on-line or at a library. Then you can travel for free! For others it is only £2 each way.

Edingale is this year’s WINNER of the small village award. Also Joint winner of the Community Competition and winner of the CPRE Sustainable and Green initiatives award.

Thanks from Jim for all the support from everyone who contributed.

There is £750 prize money to spend on the village too.