A short while ago the Totnes Heritage Trust was successful in its application to the South Hams District Council to have the oldest pub in Totnes, The Kingsbridge Inn, listed as an Asset of Community Value.

Such a listing provides a local community group with an opportunity to buy The Kingsbridge Inn for use, as a pub should it come on the market for sale.

John Birch, a trustee of the Totnes Heritage Trust, reports that the owner of The Kingsbridge Inn has decided to sell the pub and this has triggered a procedure that enables a local community group to bid for the purchase of the property to the exclusion of others for a period of six months up to June 16.

John says: “The Totnes Heritage Trust will over the next few weeks be organising a meeting of those interested in saving the pub to plan the way forward.

The situation presents an opportunity for a local community group to work together to save The Kingsbridge Inn and turn it into a community run pub.

The trust is reaching out to those interested in setting up a Community Benefit Society that will put together a plan to purchase and run the pub.

Those interested in being involved in such a project are being ask to contact the trust at [email protected]

The Kingsbridge Inn proudly standing at the top of Totnes town was first recorded as a pub around 1684 and has served the local community for over 330 years.

Unfortunately the pub was suddenly closed in December 2016.

There is now an opportunity to reopen it as a community run pub.

The Kingsbridge Inn is one ot the few pubs in the area with a function room. Prior to its closure it was in regular use for community events such as meetings, gatherings, wedding reception, Christmas parties and birthdays because of its size and location. The function room would be of real interest to community groups, clubs and organisations looking for meeting place for community activities.

This would bring in further revenue and custom during the day and in quieter periods.

Should the community group be successful in its bid, the running of the pub would follow the model of many other successful community purchases, such as the Tally Ho! (Littlehempston), and the Cornwood Inn (Cornwood), raising funds through a mix of share offer, loans and grants.”