Save the Glamorgan September Update

Next Meeting of the Save the Glamorgan Campaign is on Thursday 9th September at 7.30 pm on Zoom. The link for the event is here though you need a password and you need to email [email protected]. You can also contact us via the Save the Glamorgan Facebook page.

September 2021 Update

In June 2021 the current owners of the Glamorgan Pub informed Croydon Council of their intention to sell the Pub. This followed their failed attempt to get planning permission to knock down the existing building and build a ten-storey block of flats in its place. As Croydon Council has listed the Glamorgan Pub as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and has registered this status on Land Registry, the Council told the developer that their proposal to sell the building at auction was in breach of law regarding buildings with an ACV status, as they needed to inform the council of any intention to sale and to allow time to give community group the chance to make a meaningful bid.

Glamorgan Phonix Limited

In June 2021 the developer withdrew their building from the sale, and formally notified the council of their intention to sell. In response, the Council invoked the six-week moratorium on the sale to allow community groups, which are either charities, community interest companies, or co-operatives to express an interest to bid. The six-week deadline ended In July 2021 and before it expired a group of officers and supporters of the Save the Glamorgan Campaign set up a company limited by guarantee called the Glamorgan Phoenix Ltd. This new company submitted an expression of interest to the Council. The Council accepted this submission from Glamorgan Phoenix and the Council invoked the six-month moratorium to allow time for the group to pull together the necessary finances to make a bid.

Pulling together the finances to make a bid

The Glamorgan Phoenix limited has six months to put forward a credible bid to the current owners. In August 2021 the directors of Glamorgan Phoenix made an application to the Plunkett Foundation, a charity that supports community ownership of businesses. They have helped a number of communities, both rural and urban to buy their local pubs and to run them as community enterprises or co-operatives. Their recent More than a Pub programme has supported over 300 groups.

Funding approved for a Business Advisor

At the end of August 2021, we heard back from Plunkett Foundation in regards to our bid to seek support from them. They approved our application for initial support and have provided us with a business advisor, Mark MacTaggart, to help us develop an action plan. His support will help us work out our project aims and what activities we need to carry out. This includes what type of community structure we should adopt, and whether it is possible to work in partnership with interested local micro-breweries, the Cronx Brewery and Dorking Brewery. If we develop an effective action plan we will be able to apply for further, specialist support. If you want to know about the support the Plunkett Foundation can give, more information can be found here.

Are you interested in joining us this journey?

The aim of the Save the Glamorgan Campaign and the Glamorgan Phoenix Limited is to bring back to life a much-loved community pub. We are looking for local residents, and those who have a strong connection to this old pub, to step up and join us on this journey. All types of skills and experiences are accepted including commitment and enthusiasm. If you are keen to get involved please contact us by our Facebook Page, come along to the Save the Glamorgan meeting, or email us via our local councillor Sean Fitzsimons [email protected].