Campaign to save historic Northwich village pub from closure

The historic Grade II listed Holly Bush Inn in Little Leigh is listed for auction on June 7, but an application has been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council to put a six month hold to those plans.

READ> Historic pub in Northwich countryside to close its doors

Still in its infancy, the campaign to save the pub from the pages of history has hit the ground running with many in the village offering their assistance to save what they see as a vital part of their past, present and future.

At the helm of the campaign is Simon Appleton, a proud Yorkshireman, who moved to Little Leigh around eight years ago. He is also handily placed when it comes to pubs as he set up his own micro brewery in his back garden during lockdown.

He said: “As a community we’ve submitted an asset community value application to Cheshire West and Chester council.

“The pub is of massive community importance to us here.

“We’ve been trying to make enquiries to the auctioneers to let them know about our interest, but they keeping fobbing us off.

“I’ve just opened a micro brewery (HUSH Brewing Co) and a lot of people in the village know me, so that’s how I got on board.”

A campaign to save the Holly Bush from closure in the 1970's was successful

A campaign to save the pub from the hospitality graveyard isn’t new, with the community being successful in its bid to stop another attempted closure back in the 1970’s.

“I think it was being sold off by the brewery who owned it at the time,” Simon, an electrical engineer by trade, added.

“But obviously that generation are now a bit older so they want someone who can take this new campaign forward.

“Everybody has got a story about the Holly Bush and we want that to continue.

"If I would have known things would go down the route of it being sold at auction, I would have done something months ago.

"There's been an offer of running a post office facility in the pub, we have the micro brewery and some great local artisan sellers, so much so, we've been inundated with ideas.

"As we're coming out of Covid, we need something like this.

"There's never been a better time as we're so distant as a society at the moment."

Simon Appleton set up his own micro brewery during lockdown last year

Little Leigh Parish Council submitted the application to Cheshire West and Chester Council to have the historic pub and its buildings listed as an asset of community value.

A spokesman for them said: "The pub has been a vital part of our village for 400 years and we have provided evidence of its importance to our history and culture.

"Once the listing is granted it puts a six month stop on the pub being sold.

"This would give the community time to pull together to apply for grants and to raise the funds to buy the pub.

"It is now up to the Campaign to Save the Hollybush to take up the challenge.

"But time is tight as the pub is due to go to auction on June 7.

"We have asked CWAC to make their decision on listing as soon as possible."

An Asset of Community Value is defined as a building or other land if its main use has recently been or is presently used to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community and could do so in the future.

When a listed asset is to be sold, local community groups have an opportunity to buy the asset at market value and protect its community value.

Once an application has been submitted, the local authority has eight weeks to make a decision about whether it meets the social well-being or social interest definition.

A spokesman for Cheshire West and Chester said: "The Council has received a nomination to list The Holly Bush Inn in Little Leigh as an Asset of Community Value.

"This is a statutory process and the Council will consider the nomination and make a decision in accordance with its statutory obligations."