Villagers meet to discuss buying Vale of Belvoir pub

Melton Borough Council’s planning committee blocked the proposals at the Black Horse, at Grimston, on July 2, on the grounds that it is an important village amenity and there was no requirement for new housing there.

The pub has been closed since January but in recent years it had built a reputation as a popular destination pub serving good food and was even named in the prestigious AA Pub Guide for 2020.

It is listed by the borough council as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and, as such, it cannot be sold to a private buyer in the short term.

The public meeting will take place at the village hall, at 6.45pm for 7pm, on Thursday August 6.

A note circulated to residents states: “The pub has now been offered for sale and, as an ACV, this has triggered a six-month period in which the pub cannot be sold to a private buyer.

“This moratorium period is to allow the community time to look at putting together a bid to purchase The Black Horse.

“The purpose of this meeting is to inform the community of the latest developments regarding The Black Horse and to allow the community an opportunity to have a say in what might happen next.”

The meeting will take place under Covid-19 restrictions, with a limited number of places offered on a first-come-first-served basis.

Anyone interested in attending, or to ask a question in their absence, must email [email protected] by Sunday August 2.

Registrations can also be posted in the mailbox at Cedar Lodge, opposite the village hall.

All attendees must bring a mask and a register will be taken of those present for Covid-19 traceability purposes.

There will be a voluntary collection towards the fee for hiring the hall.