ACV
The ACV Challenge - James
Watson (ELAC’s Pubs
Preservation Officer)
Assets of Community
Value (ACVs) have
been with us for three
years now and there
are 879 pubs listed in
England, including
around 90 in the
Greater London
Region. Many people
are fixated with the
"community right to
bid" aspect and
somehow feel that they will be obliged to raise funds to buy
a pub. Although this is possible, it is highly unlikely. There
are only two community-owned pubs in London which have
gone down this route - The Ivy House and The Antwerp
Arms. The other 88 were nominated primarily to achieve a
planning purpose. A good example is The Chesham Arms in
Hackney whose ACV status helped to save it from conversion
to flats. It is still in the same ownership but the ACV
registration was deployed as a tool to safeguard its long-
term survival as a pub. Since April 2015, planning law has
changed. When pubs are nominated as ACV, their permitted
development rights for demolition and change of use are
removed. This is very useful to us as it brings change of use
and demolition under planning control. Also since the start
of 2015, it has been possible for CAMRA branches to submit
nominations for ACV status, without the need to collect 21
signatures or to form an association. CAMRA is a limited
company which does not distribute a surplus to its
members. This makes us eligible to put ACV nominations in
as CAMRA Ltd, exploiting our branch structure to
demonstrate a local connection. Nominating your treasured
local has never been easier and it now provides meaningful
planning protection. Our colleagues at HQ have a dedicated
online survey tool to make the application process efficient.
It really is as simple as ACV! The process is: 1. Identify a pub
(or pubs) in the local area that you believe would be a great
loss of converted to alternative use 2. Obtain the permission
of the ELAC Branch Chairman (Kim Scott) or deputy (John
Pardoe) to submit this nomination as ELAC 3. Use the online
Survey Monkey form to complete the questionnaire on the
pub: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FJMTNFX 4. HQ staff
will check the info, download (and pay for!) the Land Registry
documents, and email all the forms back to you. 5. You then
take the form to the Town Hall or email to the Council in
question, being sure to obtain a receipt! The Council has 8
weeks in which to make a decision. You will be notified when
your pub is added to the register. It is a good idea to speak
to the licensee / publican so the notification does not come
as a shock. Most publicans see registration as a badge of
honour. The pub will receive a certificate from the
government, and a "This Pub Matters" pack from CAMRA.
Don't delay - List Your Local Today.
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Campaigning for real ale,
pubs & drinkers' rights since
1971.
Campaigning for real ale, pubs
& drinkers' rights since 1971.