The Globe Inn Update

25/08/2023

The Globe Inn - Community Pub meeting Reminder

18/07/2023

Dear fellow villager

You have now all heard that Mark and Adele have formally put the Globe up for sale.

It goes without saying that I wish them god speed in finding a quick sale.  They have been extraordinary servants of this village for the last 17 years or more.

There are numerous hurdles into turning a privately owned pub into one owned by the community.  The first hurdle is the legal entity required to represent the community. It has been recommended that we form a Community Benefit Society (CBS).

Just like a limited company. It will have shareholders ( members) who become members by investing in the CBS. Each member will have a vote. It is the members who will appoint the management committee who will be responsible for running the CBS. The management committee is elected annually.  The CBS will have a constitution agreed by the members to give the management committee guidance.  Talk about weeds, it does get weedy and slow but necessarily so, as none of us have been down the CBS route before.  Fortunately there are entities out there who have been and are helping us.  I refer to the Plunkett foundation and the prime movers in the New Inn at Halse story.

It is representatives of the CBS’s management committee who will be making a formal approach to the selling agents if the Tarry’s cannot find a buyer.  Do remember it is the absolute intention of the group to ensure that Milverton retains its pub.

The Tarry’s could find a buyer quite quickly.  On the other hand it might still be on the market for several months.  At what stage should the CBS intervene?  That is entirely a judgement call.  And to intervene the CBS has to be in being, and more importantly has to have sufficient funds to make an offer.  There is only on source of those funds ourselves.  But is there any point in asking you for money now when we might have to return it because the Tarry’s have accepted an outside offer?  I hope you can see the challenges?

That is not to say there is no activity. Our interest in the Globe has been registered with the selling agents. A valuation is being arranged for September. Members of the group have been putting their heads together to look at how the pub will look and feel if the CBS does buy the Globe.

Forgive me for not being more specific. I hope by late September matters will be somewhat clearer.  To that end we intend to hold a public meeting on 28 September at 7.00 pm in the Victoria Rooms.

But if events move faster than I envisage they will of course I will inform you.

Kind regards

William Waddington

PS Meanwhile if you do have any questions my email is granbywadds@btinternet.com.

PPS I am looking forward to seeing in the Victoria Rooms on 28 September. This is probably the biggest challenge the village has faced for a very long time. But if Halse can do it so can we!

30th June 2023

Dear fellow villager

You will have probably heard that Mark and Adele Tarry would like to sell the Globe. They have suggested the village might like to buy it and run it as a community pub. 

As a result of that conversation Gary Whittaker, Gwil Wren, Rob Burton, Trevor Phelps, and Bev Blackmore, took up the cudgel to see if there was an appetite to move their suggestion forward.  500 questionnaires were delivered, 123 replies were received: 85% of respondents said they would be happy to help financially or physically. 

As a result of their efforts there is now a group of residents, all with relevant experience, with myself as chair, who are committed to ensuring that The Globe remains, not just as a pub, but also as a community hub – including a café, meeting and letting rooms for instance. Much as the New Inn at Halse has become both a thriving pub and the centre of their community. Indeed It would be foolish of us if we did not take advantage of the experience they gained into turning it into a very successful community pub. They are delighted we are looking to go down this route and are happy to provide any help we may need.

Generous as it is of Mark and Adele to make that approach to the village, it was decided to let them put it on the open market. In this way they would be able to maximise the return on their home and business. We would become a potential buyer for the Globe along with other interested parties. Of course a buyer may simply want to carry on running the Globe as a pub. Others might want to convert it into flats. I understand that in the latter case that would be very difficult to achieve. I repeat it is this group’s intention to turn the Globe into a pub for all the community.

As to timings that it is entirely up to Mark and Adele. But we have to be ready to react as soon as the Globe is put up for sale. There is an enormous amount of work to do. Everything from deciding upon the legal entity that we will need to buy the Globe, to understand how it will eventually look and feel, if we are successful in purchasing it.

As I write I cannot give you an indication of the amount of money needed to do all this. You will all have your own ideas, but it will be substantial. We should have a much better idea of that in the early autumn as our plans develop. We will be holding a number of meetings in the Victoria Rooms in the second half of September explaining our ideas. We will need to understand how much you, as a resident of Milverton, will be prepared to back the project financially. If you could let me know that now it would be helpful, but if you would prefer to wait until the early autumn - absolutely not a problem.

In addition to the experience gained by the Halse residents there are organisations, such as the Plunkett Foundation, that not only provide grants and loans to community projects once the initial purchase has been made, but also have a plethora of information about the formation and running of community pubs. We have already been in contact with them. 

For me this is an emotional decision. Milverton without its pub - unthinkable . I fully appreciate I might not receive a penny return on my investment, but I will have been delighted in playing my part in helping to keep an essential part of the village running. This has to be a major community effort to ensure The Globe stays open. If Halse can do it so can we. 

Kind regards

William Waddington

PS I will let you know when the meetings will be held as soon as possible. Meanwhile if you do have any questions my email is granbywadds@btinternet.com.

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31st May 2023

Dear All

Thank you for completing the questionnaire regarding the potential Community Buy Out of “The Globe”. To update you where we are within the process:

We will be holding two meetings over the course of the next few weeks. The first being the 12th of June at 7 pm at the Victoria Rooms for individuals who have expressed an interest to be part of a leadership team. This team will help formulate the initial strategy for any potential buyout. Any other individuals who would like to be involved with this meeting please contact Gary Whittaker on gryw62@gmail.com.

The second meeting will be held in July (TBC) and will be for all individuals who have completed the questionnaire, plus anyone who has expressed an interest in attending. At this meeting you will be updated on the progress so far and how you can help both physically and financially, plus the potential next steps.

Bev Blackmore, Rod Burton, Trevor Phelps, Gary Whittaker, Gwil Wren.