Victory for community group after council’s U-turn on historic Walsall pub
A historic Caldmore pub has been granted protection against development after a hard-fought battle by a local community group.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The White Lion on Sandwell Street has been awarded Asset of Community Value (ACV) status in a U-turn victory after Walsall Council refused the initial application.
Under the Localism Act, properties with ACV status are deemed to be important to the local community. Any building designated as an ACV cannot be sold without being offered to the community first for up to five years.
The White Lion’s existing Asset of Community Value status expired on November 15, 2024. When community group Friends of the White Lion tried to renew the status for a further five years, the council refused the application.
Council officers said that the pub did not meet the criteria to be designated as an ACV based on 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. It was later bought by 88 Capital Investments Ltd which never opened the pub after taking it on.
The company put it up for sale by auction in June 2024.
The decision to refuse The White Lion’s ACV application was heavily criticised by Campaign for Real Ale, the national organisation promoting British pubs.
Spokesperson Paul Ainsworth described the decision as ‘deeply flawed’ and argued that the reason the pub has not served the local community recently is because the owners haven’t opened it. He added that it was ‘perverse’ to ‘reward’ the owners for keeping it shut.
After the initial refusal, the Friends of the White Lion reapplied again to get the pub listed as an ACV, and this time, it was successful.
Chairman of the group, Mark Webster, said: “This is a great achievement for the local community. It reflects the hard work of our group as well as the continued support and effort of the local community to gain recognition for the contribution that The White Lion has made to the local community over the years and its continued importance as a heritage asset.
"A big thank you to everyone who helped in the process and a very special thanks to both the Walsall CAMRA group and CAMRA nationally for their support and advice.”
Walsall Council has been approached for a statement.
