We looking forward to joining the community picnic with our 'Pop up Pub' on Sunday, bringing a flavour of the pub spirit to the village and sharing our plans with friends old and new.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
We have set up a community cooperative business called Higham CBS. People can join the CBS by buying shares, which will help support the community hub & pub and the community projects.
We have been working alongside the Parish Council to progress our plans to buy the pub and develop it as a community hub. Higham Community Benefit Society will run the project and oversee the running of the pub and community projects hosted in the pub. We want to include a shop and small café.
We have continued to negotiate with current owners to agree a sale of the pub. We had a meeting with them and HBBC Planning Dept in March to outline our requests and continue the discussions about buying the pub.
What can you do?
Sign up to pledge to buy shares in the CBS - buying shares gives you membership of the community business and contributes to providing services at the pub/community hub.
PLANNING UPDATE
The owners asked for an extension of the decision to address the various points raised by the Planning Officer in his report for the Planning Committee (which had recommended refusal). When we last met with them this amendment was in the pipeline. People who sent in objections should have received an email notifying them of these changes. Responses could include a request that the sale of the pub to the community is included in the decision.