[dropcap type=”circle”]T[/dropcap]he Black Horse in Lower Heswall has suddenly shut up shop just a little more than four months since it reopened under new management.
Landlady Christina Powell says she has been forced to hand back the keys to owners Punch Taverns for personal reasons and because trading has been poor.
Christina says that a local woman is set to replace her and that she will assist in any way she can.
A sign states that the closure is to enable a forthcoming refurbishment, something which was mooted when Christina took over in December last year.
With around 3300 leased and managed pubs Punch Taverns is the second largest pub operator in the UK and listed on the London stock exchange.
Given the Black Horse’s struggles to be a viable local, major investment by Punch seems unlikely. Often the operator asks new managers to invest their own money in the future of the business they are taking on.
Short or long, the closure is a blow for the lower village where the pub creates footfall and has been an intrinsic part of the community since the 1830s when it was built to serve as a hotel.
A Heswall Today reader texted to say: “The Black could easily be as good as the Red Fox or the Grosvenor Arms in Alford. Great shame if the village loses its local pub.”
Though pessimistic, the possibility of permanent closure in the not too distant future must be entertained in the lght of two recent shut downs. This begs the question: what happens to such an important building?
Our community might be able to provide part of the answer, for when people are concerned about the future of a local institution like an historic pub, they can apply to the council for it to be listed as an Asset of Community Value.
This right was introduced as part of the Localism Act in 2011. It means that if an asset has been listed and comes up for sale, the local community has 6 months to put together a bid to buy it.
The aim is to give communities an increased chance of saving much loved facilities, including pubs.
It’s time to start thinking about whether the Black Horse should be given some protection and, if so, can we make it happen?
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