Community groups are being invited to bid for The Inn at Freshford near Bath, which is listed as an Asset of Community Value.
The Inn at Freshford | Photo © 1000 Words / Shutterstock.com
Bath & North East Somerset Council was notified by the current owner of the property on 7th February of their intention to sell.
An interim moratorium period has now started, and the community has until 21st March 2025 to express an interest in buying the pub.
The Inn at Freshford was listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) by the local authority in December 2020, following a nomination by Freshford Parish Council.
ACVs are defined in the Localism Act 2011 to enable communities the right to identify and nominate land or buildings that are important to them and if sold, have a chance to make a bid to buy on the open market.
If a valid bid from a community interest group is received, then the full moratorium period will be triggered and will run until 7th August 2025.
This will the enable the community to raise money and bid to buy the asset. However, the owner is not required to accept the bid and sell to the community.
If no sale to a community interest group is agreed during the applicable moratorium period, then the owner will be free to sell the property on the open market during a protected period expiring on 7th August 2026.
Requests for bids can be made to Bath & North East Somerset Council by emailing [email protected] or by writing to Connecting Communities, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Lewis House, Manvers Street, Bath BA1 1JG by 21st March 2025.
