Denying historic Walsall pub protection from development branded a 'deeply flawed' decision

A community group aiming to preserve The White Lion in Caldmore suffered the setback last week when trying to renew the pub’s listing on the Asset of Community Value register.

Properties with ACV status are deemed to be of importance to the local community under the Localism Act. Any building designated as an ACV cannot be sold without being offered to the community first. The current owners of the Sandwell Street pub, 88 Capital Investments Ltd, put it up for auction in June 2024. But because of the protection, it is now in a six-month moratorium period.

The Friends of the White Lion group fear the building could be lost to the community forever once its current ACV status expires on November 15.

Walsall Council refused the renewal due to the fact that the pub has not been used in the recent past, or is likely to be used in the near future. The pub closed in 2020 and was owned by Admiral Taverns at the time.

CAMRA, a national organisation which promotes traditional British pubs, has described the decision as ‘perverse’. Paul Ainsworth, the group’s national planning policy adviser, said: “CAMRA considers the decision to refuse the application to re-register the White Lion as an Asset of Community Value deeply flawed.

“Firstly, they say that the pub had not served the local community ‘in the recent past’. The only reason why this is the case is that the owner has kept the premises closed. In our view, it is perverse to reward this action by the owner with immunity from ACV registration.

“Secondly, it is stated that, in the council’s view, the pub is unlikely to serve the community ‘in the near future’ (the period specified in the legislation is actually ‘the next five years’) because ‘the property remains closed and is being marketed for sale’. As before, closure was a decision by the owner.”

Mark Webster, chairman of the Friends of the White Lion group, said: “This ACV status is the only means open to communities to defend heritage buildings and it could be a very important stepping stone for us in making sure the building is properly preserved and isn’t lost to the local community completely.

“This is a matter of interpretation of the law. The building has 170 years of unbroken service to the community. It suggests that any private owner of any building can just close it for two years and then do what they like with it.”

Paul added: “It does not have planning permission for a use other than as a pub and there would be vigorous objections to any change of use application. The Friends of the White Lion are exploring ways and means by which the pub could re-open, including the possibility of community ownership.”