Community asset application for pub rejected

A bid to protect a village's only pub has been rejected but the venue's new landlord said it had "a bright future anyway".

Wighill Parish Council had applied for The White Swan in Wighill, near Tadcaster, to be registered as an asset of community value, which would give villagers an opportunity to bid for the property if it was put up for sale.

However, a council assessment concluded that while the pub had hosted numerous community events there was not enough evidence to demonstrate significant community use.

The pub closed in June following the retirement of its former publicans and reopened earlier this month under new ownership.

Landlord Tom Brown said they had taken on a long lease to secure the pub's future.

"We've got a good chef in the kitchen, letting bedrooms and some big plans for the place," said Brown.

"We already run several pubs in York, but this is going to be our big site. The pub is here to stay and it's definitely not being turned into housing."

In its application in September, the parish council had described the pub as a vital social hub, pointing out that the village has no community centre, village hall or school.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the application listed 27 activities and events associated with the pub, including Christmas celebrations, bonfire nights, beer festivals, quiz nights, book clubs, film clubs, knitting groups, parish council meetings and elections.

However, council officers said that while some of the activities had demonstrated community involvement, about half were commonly associated with running a traditional rural pub.

The report added that no community interest group or similar organisation had been established with an expressed interest in acquiring or operating the pub.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.