THE group leading the community effort to buy and reopen The Britannia Inn on Bath Road, Wells, has made important progress with the project.
The East Wells Community Benefit Society (EWCBS) is awaiting reports on the condition of the empty building and the approximate cost of any repair work required.
A structural survey of the pub was carried out for the EWCBS at the start of August by chartered building surveyor Rob Arnell of Wells company DB Paul.
A specialist from local building contractor Melhuish and Saunders has also examined the building and will provide an estimate of the cost of remedial work, as well as for the potential reordering of the first floor into a flat for a pub tenant.
The Britannia Inn has been put up for sale by the Wellington Pub Company with an asking price of £350,000. It has been empty since landlords Rob and Karen Rouse retired in June 2021 having run the pub for 35 years.
The pub was listed as an Asset of Community Value by Somerset Council at the start of the year, following an application from Wells City Council. The EWCBS was registered as a potential bidder shortly afterwards, triggering a six-month moratorium period during which time it could submit an offer to buy the property.
That period expired on August 7 without the EWCBS being in a position to make an offer, but it hopes to do so in the coming months.
The market appraisal valuation it commissioned has been received and is being studied by members, and the Business Plan is nearly complete. The next step will be to launch a share offer to raise the funds to buy and refurbish the pub.
There are nine members of the East Wells Community Benefit Society, each volunteering their time and expertise to The Britannia Inn project, and who between them have contributed the initial seed funding to get the project off the ground.
They would be pleased to hear from anyone in the local community who has accountancy experience, and who is willing to share their knowledge to help with the project. To express an interest or find out more, email admin@eastwellscbs.org
If anyone is in a position to offer occasional legal advice they are also invited to get in touch using the same email address.
• Picture: Rob Arnell of DB Paul during his survey of The Britannia Inn