THE volunteer committee working to ‘Save the Waldy’ in East Harptree, received notification from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities that their application for the Community Ownership Fund (COF) had been successful On 22 March 2024.

The government awarded a grant of £250,000 capital funding (for buying the pub) and £48,200 revenue funding (to help set it up and undertake repairs).

The group is very close to a deal with current owners, Admiral Taverns, who have had the pub on the market for over a year. The potential deal is subject to contractual details.

This is incredibly exciting as well as a massive vote of confidence in the community’s support of the Save the Waldy campaign and the accompanying business proposal. It also means that the East Harptree Community Benefit Society (EHCBS – the entity set up to own the pub), now has just over 80% of the funds to buy the pub and carry out essential repairs. This includes investment from 222 shareholders and counting.

To close the deal and move forward with purchasing the Waldy the EHCBS needs to reach the minimum share offer, as laid out in the Share Offer Prospectus at waldegravearms.com/docs. This means raising a further £112,000 from either new or existing shareholders.

EHCBS would like anyone interested in securing the future of this treasured community asset and supporting the ambitions of the community to invest at waldegravearms.com/buyshares. Current shareholders are also invited to buy additional shares to help get the project over the line. 

In anticipation of a deal, a tenancy working group is being set up to attract a tenant who shares the vision of the community. A community-wide survey carried out in the summer of 2023 identified what a future tenant would need to deliver to make the pub a success. 

The EHCBS volunteer committee has engaged Architecton, a Bristol-based architectural practice, to conduct the surveys needed to complete the sale. The practice will also advise the group on the work required to maintain and upgrade the fabric and facilities of the Waldy. This work is being partially funded by a grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund. 

A Special Shareholders’ Meeting will take place on 5th April from 6.30 - 7.30pm at the Theatre in East Harptree. The meeting will be followed by a celebratory pop-up pub evening open to everyone from 8pm.