The Sun Inn in Hulverstone can now be listed as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ thanks to a campaign spearheaded by Island MP Bob Seely. Mr Seely said he wanted to secure the building’s future as a rural pub or community asset making it more difficult for the 600-year-old pub to be converted to a private house. Mr Seely launched a petition in January which gained just shy of 350 signatures before it was sent to the council along with a formal application requesting the pub be listed as an Asset of Community Value. A panel met at the Isle of Wight Council on Monday 25th March and agreed the application. Mr Seely said:
“Thank you to the hundreds of people who signed the petition for The Sun Inn at Hulverstone to be listed as an Asset of Community Value. “Thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign, including Brighstone Parish Council who made the formal nomination and Brighstone Village Stores for having the petition on their front counter. Thank you also to the dozens of people who emailed me in support of the campaign. “The petition and application have now been accepted and agreed. “This makes it very difficult for anyone to try to get a change of use for the pub. There is still the problem of the current lease, which is too expensive for the pub, but that’s a battle for the future.”
Well done Bob for ensuring that an empty pub remains an empty pub.
I wish Bob would be more concerned with the extortionate Ferry fares us Islanders
have to pay, than worry about a Pub in the middle of no where.
Nice one Bob, lovely to keep these country pubs with fewer chavs or poor people in them when having a meal out. Spoons is fine for the unemployed, mentally ill, and single muvers looking for the next soon to be missing ‘faver’ but we like the Sun Inn.
Thanks Bob
You really are a nasty piece of work aren’t you,a stuck up bobs arse tory pratt,id love you to have a chat with a veteran with horriffic PTSD and thank them for the freedom he or she fought for,but hold on,they are mentally ill,you really are a see you next tuesday!
Why is an MP using up so much time for a property that is of no great asset to the population of the Isle of Wight? My guess is as most things it will be about money.
A disused pub in better than in use homes.
Don’t bother bob, having you on board with any ideas is the kiss of tory death right now. “asset of community value” shouldn’t that be a school or some sort of help centre, medical facility, not a failing pub. Jeez. vote this doughnut out please.
This is very admirable of sausage Seely, he’s been so active in election year, tackling the ferries and now a pub. Shame it’s taken a general election to get him to do any work!
And i bet Bob will make sure every thing that needs sorting will get sorted like the ferries etc etc.
Sideshow Seely getting involved = certain future failure.
So it will now fall into disrepair.. as no viable business plan to take on this as a business .. well done Pop Up…. Community asset .. then let that community and not the IWC pay for it .. more seriously important island needs then saving a pub.
Why is the MP sticking his nose into what should be local authority business?
Because he drinks there, he wouldn’t bother otherwise!
Why? Because he comes from true Island stock Not just decided to move here to escape those who have moved from further warmer climates.
And because his close relly had with a government grant recently planted vast vineyards just up the road so needs a local pub to sell it.
Credit where credit is due and a lovely pub worth saving
Well I have just read this and I thought it was a great idea. It seems this pub or the ‘pub’ means a lot to this gentleman and the community, as pubs do me! They are a great thing pubs, they have a great atmosphere. I think what Mr Seely has marked upon will be a great purposeful accommodating building and roots that will be protected for many generations. That is a really great thing.
Community assets never ever work. I looked at this pub to take on earlier this year, but the monthly running costs are a joke and the cash you have to make to pay the bills is ridiculous. Not worth anybody taking on a pub these days. Cheaper to set up a cleaning company with better returns
But you can’t put a price on our culture- on the mainland it’s going to the dogs with all the immigrants wanting their way of life here, so there are things more valuable than money.
Who takes over the lease and pays the rent, as it does not seem right that the current person has to open it just because its a community asset, it could remain closed for years
He will probably rename it “The Sausage and Mash”
Why can’t the sausage take the lease over if it means so much to him more then poverty,ferries, abandoned hotels,homeless,drugs,parking charges ect ect ect
He’s going to need a job in a few months if he stand to be away from Davos & the WEF. He certainly wouldn’t run his local as running a pub is bloody hard work.
Would be interesting to see the analytics of how many times Bob pops up in the Island “news” when it is an election year compared to when it’s not.
Another wonderful photo op for him.
How can he force them to open the pub, if they don’t want to, could be closed for years and years, won’t be a community asset then.
It may never open, who ever owns it could just keep it closed.
This pub closed a good while back and it was turned into a private house against the wishes of villagers.. the publican “I seem to remember” was right obnoxious so and so and people stayed away giving him the excuse to shut up shop… the locals forced a U Turn and the pub reopened..
good on you Bob, let’s hope lightning doesn’t strike twice.