Nottingham community pub seeks support in campaign to protect venue

Local residents running the pub began the campaign, supported by Broxtowe Conservative MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Anna Soubry and Nottingham CAMRA, after they successfully petitioned the local council to list the pub as an asset of community value with overwhelming support.

The group have said that the pub company are looking to sell the property to a developer, which would mean the site may change use or even be demolished, but Greene King have refused to comment on who it might be sold to.

Greene King bought the pub after they took over and closed the nearby Hardy & Hansons Brewery in Kimberly in 2006.

Fighting for survival​

The campaign group, led by pub landlord Leslie Moreland, have issued a statement urging for support pub reading: Greene King “now want to sell our pub to somebody who doesn’t run pubs – we’re fighting for our survival, can you help?

“We need to raise awareness of our plight and we need your help in doing so. Far too many good pubs are being lost.”

The group added that the pub is viable, but only in the right hands, and “forced to buy beer at inflated prices, rather than from the whole market, where it is cheaper”.

The New White Bull, on Nottingham Road, Giltbrook, has existed since the mid 1800s, starting out as a coaching inn, and still boasts its original façade.

Chairman of Nottingham CAMRA Steve Westby said: “This is a great community pub and we feel that it is important that it should not be lost. In the right ownership we are positive that it could be operated as a viable business.

Local history​

“Local history sites show us that various landlords and landladies have worked in this pub for 20-30 years of their lives and through two world wars, Surely we owe it to their memories and our future generations to allow this building to remain unchanged.

“Further local history shows us that, the Pentrich Luddites were arrested by the 15th regiment of dragoons between this and the Giltbrook tannery and even D H Lawrance gives it a mention in his short storyStrike Pay.”

A Greene King spokesperson said: “The pub has not yet been sold but we are in discussions with a potential buyer, the details of which must remain confidential at this stage.”