Following a committee meeting this week we are now in position to provide a further update on the campaign to save the Holly Bush.
In order to be in a position to take any necessary action the Save the Holly Bush Campaign Group has set up a separate limited company. The Holly Bush Pub Limited is a private company limited by guarantee, rather than one whose aims are to generate profits for shareholders. The company is a legal entity and therefore now gives us the ability to deal with Cheshire West and Chester Council and any other parties in an official capacity, unlike the campaign group which is an informal grouping of individuals with no legal status. The campaign group will work alongside the company to harness the support and energies of the whole community, in the village and beyond, which is vital to saving the Holly Bush.
As the sales of various parts of the site have not been completed there is an opportunity to secure the future of the pub. A moratorium which protects the pub building from re-development until February 2022 has now been confirmed. This is in addition to the protection of listed building status which prevents physical changes to the historic structure.
However we believe that the whole site needs protecting as the viability of the pub requires the car park, bedrooms, garden and outbuildings as well as the main building and will work with the Council to achieve this.
The Campaign Group continues in its objective to re-open and develop the Holly Bush as a vibrant and successful pub at the heart of our community. The pub company now gives us the ability to raise money, enter discussions with interested parties or make legal challenges should these be required to achieve our objective.