Assets of Community Value

ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE

NOMINATION FORM

If you need assistance completing this form please refer to the guidance document which can be downloaded from the website or alternatively call 01423 500600 Ext 58595

Section 1: About the Asset to be nominated

Section 2: About your community organisation

Organisation type:

Organisation size: No formal membership. We have a committee of 12 which meets in the village hall every fortnight . We have also collected more than 150 signatures from villagers supporting our campaign to save the pub.

Section 3: Supporting information for nomination

Any information entered in this section only may be copied and passed onto the owner of the property you are nominating. Definition of an asset of community value can be found in the guidance document.

Why do you feel the property/land is an asset of community value? Please give as much information as possible to demonstrate the following criteria:

The current main use of the building or land furthers the social interests or social wellbeing of the local community or a use in the recent past has done so.

• The Henry Jenkins, located on the Main Street opposite the village hall (Mechanics Institute), has been a hub of the community in Kirkby Malzeard for more than 250 years up until the time it was closed in 2012.

• It has a fascinating history, being the only surviving example of several public houses named in the early 18th century after Henry Jenkins – believed to have been the oldest man ever to have lived in Britain. The building itself is thought to date from the early 19th century and is an important part of the architectural character of the village.

• It was quite distinct from the other pub in the village, the Queens Head, because it was open at lunch times and had separate public and lounge bars. The public bar had stone floors making it suitable for walkers and people with dogs while the lounge bar was carpeted and had soft furnishings. It had a large separate dining area, which doubled as a place for meetings, parties, live music and discos. It also had a separate pool room which was used by the local pool team and was also popular with young people from the village. It also had a south-facing beer garden which was popular in the summer for families and children.

• More than 60 people have registered objections with Harrogate Borough Council over plans to demolish the pub and redevelop the site with housing. Many have pointed out that the Henry Jenkins was “a family pub” and that the atmosphere and clientele was different from that of the Queen's Head (an important community asset in its own right). More than 150 people form the village including the Rev Caroline Falkingham, Rector of Fountains with Dallowgill, Grewelthorpe & Kirby Malzeard & Mickley, have signed a petition opposing the application.

• It was used as a social meeting place by more than 25 community organisations, groups, clubs and societies who used to make regular use of the Henry Jenkins, either in the evenings or at lunch times (see Appendix 1).

• A few of these have now moved to the Queens Head, but many have not – because the layout and customer base is quite different. As a consequence some organisations have disbanded and others have become less well supported.

• The Henry Jenkins is located opposite the village hall (the Mechanics Institute) – so it was a natural place to meet after events and activities for the numerous clubs and societies who make use of facilities at the Mechanics. These include the Kirkby Malzeard Players, the Snooker and Billiard Club, the Badminton Club and the Flower and Produce Show. The Mechanics also stages film nights, productions by touring theatre groups, live bands, string quartets etc and the Henry Jenkins was popular place to stop for a drink before or after the show.

• The restaurant room at the Henry Jenkins was frequently used for wedding receptions, funeral wakes, birthday parties, Halloween parties, discos etc. The main area of the pub was often packed on special occasions – for example fancy dress nights on New Year’s Eve and the combined Mens and Ladies Darts teams knockout competition.

• The Henry Jenkins was popular with walkers, cyclists, mountain bikers and other tourists as well as visitors from the caravan and camping parks in the area. This helped to put the village on the map as a tourist destination, bringing in money from outside the area and supporting other businesses like the village shop, butcher's shop and petrol station.

Lithograph of Henry Jenkins, reputed to have lived from 1501 to 1670. In 1662, while giving evidence at a rights of way hearing in York, he recalled carrying a load arrows to Northallerton to supply the King’s Army at the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513

Some examples of community groups and clubs who used to use the Henry Jenkins are given below: (see Appendix 1 for full list)

Kirkby Malzeard Folk Club Until the Henry Jenkins' closure, the folk club used to meet in the restaurant area on the first Monday of every month, attracting 15-20 musicians and singers from Kirkby Malzeard and surrounding villages. There is no longer a folk club in the village.

The Henry Jenkins Pub Quiz This used to be held every Tuesday night and regularly attracted 30-50 players, with teams sitting at tables across both the public and lounge bars. Questions for the main quiz and the jackpot were compiled and read out by various quiz masters using a PA system and a free supper was laid on. Although quiz nights were held at the Queens Head, these were later discontinued..

Kirkby Malzeard Players Between 20 and 30 members of the cast and production team would meet for drinks/ socialising in the Henry Jenkins after rehearsals and performances of the Christmas Pantomime from October- March. Also after rehearsals/ performances of occasional plays staged during early summer. All rehearsals/performances were staged in the Mechanics Institute less than 50 yards away - so the Henry Jenkins was the obvious choice.

St Andrew's Church Sunday School Between 8 and 9 committee members held meetings in Henry Jenkins once a month to organise rotas and events. Once a year they also attended a sandwich lunch before the annual trip to Christmas pantomime in York.

Friends of Kirkby Malzeard School Between 6 and 10 committee members met at the Henry Jenkins ten times a years to organise fund-raising activities. Over the years the group has raised many thousands of pounds to supplement the school's income. The committee now meets in an annexe of the school. As one member said, “it's adequate for holding meetings but the atmosphere's not the same and you don't get the same interaction with other customers and staff.”

Kirkby Malzeard Snooker and Billiard Club This club holds home matches in the snooker/ billiard room at the Mechanics Institute. Every Tuesday evening (snooker) and Wednesday evening (billiards) 20 players from the home and away teams used to meet in the Henry Jenkins after the match.

Highside Longsword Dancers

The Highside Longsword Dancers, originators of the internationally famous “Kirkby Malzeard Longsword Dance” performed their first-ever dance outside the Henry Jenkins in 1987. From then onwards they performed inside and outside the pub every Boxing Day until the pub was closed in 2012.

Highside Sword Dancers, who helped revive international interest in the ancient Yorkshire Sword Dance, performing outside the Henry Jenkins. They did their first ever performance at the pub in 1987 and continued performing outside the pub every year until its closure in 2012

In summary, there can be no doubt that the Henry Jenkins was an important part of the social fabric of Kirkby Malzeard. Since its closure the opportunities for people to go out, mix and socialise have become more restricted. This in turn has made it more difficult to keep clubs and societies going – and it is probably no coincidence that some have disbanded since the pub's closure in 2010.

It is worth noting that many of the groups that used to meet in the Henry Jenkins were made up of people who were trying to help the community in other ways. For example the Friends of Kirkby Malzeard Primary School and the Friends of Kirkby Malzeard Playgroup have raised thousands of pounds for their respective organisations – which, in turn, has helped improve facilities and social interaction for young people and adults. Every Christmas up to 25 members of the Highside Singers used to sing carols to regulars inside the pub; each year they raise around £2,000 for local charities. Another example is the successful Kirkby Malzeard 10K fun run, which over the years has raised £48,000 for the Mechanics Institute, the village Playing Fields' Association and the village First Response team. The idea for the 10K run was first mooted at a meeting at the Henry Jenkins and the pub was was subsequently used by the organising committee for ad hoc meetings.

The Henry Jenkins also had a social value in ways that are hard to measure but which are nonetheless important. It was popular with young people, who often made use of the separate pool room. At the same time the lounge bar and restaurant were a place where older people or women on their own could feel comfortable. One example is the Methodist Chapel Lunch Club, an informal group that was organised for widows or older women living alone who used to meet at the Henry Jenkins for Sunday lunch. It was a small group of only 3-5 people, but for those who went it was often the only social interaction they had all week and it greatly improved their quality of life.

It is Government and Harrogate Borough Council policy to protect community facilities in rural areas - including public houses - in recognition of the part they play in raising quality of life through promotion of thriving, inclusive and sustainable communities.

The value of pubs for local communities is underlined by recent research by Oxford University, commissioned by CAMRA.[1] This suggests that people who have access to a local pub are significantly happier than those who do not, with a higher life satisfaction, more close friends and a more trusting attitude to others. Its author, Prof Robin Dunbar, maintains that face-to-face meetings are absolutely vital to maintaining friendships, because these are particularly susceptible to decay over time. He concludes that that local pubs play an integral in providing a venue where people can meet and build freindships – and that the digital world is no substitute for this.

1. It is realistic to think that there can continue to be a main use of the building or land which will further the social interests or social wellbeing of the local community, whether or not in the same way as before.

There is a sound business case for the Henry Jenkins to be reopened and revitalised either

a) as a privately-run pub/restaurant or “gastro-pub,” with bars, a separate dining area, bed & breakfast accommodation and a beer garden/car parking ... or

b) as a “community” pub with a range of facilities serving local needs.

The Henry Jenkins as a private enterprise

The Henry Jenkins has excellent potential as refurbished pub and restaurant which, if done in the right way, could be a magnet for tourists as well as local people.

Kirkby Malzeard is a historic stone-built village within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village is on the edge of large expanses of unspoilt open moorland and dales accessible from a network of quiet country lanes, footpaths and bridleways. It is becoming increasingly important as a tourist destination, especially among mountain bikers, cyclists, walkers and horse riders. The parish forms part of the the route of the Ripon Rowel long distance walk[2] and the Happy Hiker Greygarth walk[3]. Kirkby Malzeard is also listed on the Pedal North mountain bike guide[4] and on BikerMap as part of the South Yorkshire Dales “epic route.”[5]

The Harrogate district is a comparatively wealthy area, with more than 60% of residents in the HBC area are classified as AB or C1 social grades[6] , well above the national average. North Yorkshire as a whole also has a high proportion of retired people with a high disposable income. Kirkby Malzeard's position within the AONB - and its proximity to Nidderdale, Lower Wensleydale, Fountains Abbey and the market towns of Ripon, Masham and Pateley Bridge - mean it is well placed to attract tourists and visitors who want to eat out and/or stay overnight. There are numerous examples in the area where money has been invested in the sympathetic restoration and modernisation of rural pubs which have become profitable businesses as “gastro-pubs,” some with attached accommodation.

As recently as 2009-10 the Henry Jenkins was still a thriving pub with a strong local and tourist trade and a busy restaurant. From around 2010 until its closure in 2012, little or no money was spent on upkeep and there was a succession of unsuitable landlords. For example, one of the landlords did not have money to pay for heating so the pub was often cold and customers who did venture in were often not welcomed (See letter from Lt Col Steve Weld, Appendix 2). Several other objectors whose comments are available on HBC planning website say that in the last two years of trading, the pub appeared to have been deliberately run down, with very little choice of food or drinks offered. It is therefore no surprise that in the pub's final months customers began to desert it.

The present owner, Mr David Fielder, who has submitted a planning application to demolish it and redevelop the site for housing, is now claiming that it is no longer viable as a pub. However he has made no serious attempt to sell it as a going concern and has let it gradually deteriorate, making it less attractive to potential buyers. The kitchen, bar, upholstered seating, fixtures and fittings have been stripped out and burnt in the car park or taken away in skips. The building has been allowed to fall into a dilapidated state, there is a large hole in the roof where roof tiles have disappeared and the owners of the terrace house next door to he pub have reported damp problems. The car park is overgrown with weeds and wild shrubs.

If money was invested in a sympathetic restoration of the pub which maintained its features and historic character - and if a high standard of service, food and drink was provided - there is every chance it would be successful again.

It may well already have happened had it not been for the fact that Mr Fielder has repeatedly put off credible prospective buyers genuinely interested in reopening the pub. Mr Fielder is on record as telling Kirkby Malzeard Parish Council there had been no realistic offers and that people who had approached him were pursuing “pipe dreams.” However it has emerged that several people who inquired about buying the pub were told it was sold. It has also been established that at least two local business people with a track record of running successful pubs and restaurants have expressed an interest in buying the Henry Jenkins. Both have been rebuffed (see letters - Appendices 3a and 3b). In 2014 one of them, Jane Eccles, offered the advertised asking price of £180,000 but was refused. Later the same day she upped her bid to around £220,000 but was again refused and told by Mr Fielder, “I'd rather hold on to it and let it rot.”

In her letter Ms Eccles says she and her partner had intended “to revamp the Henry Jenkins and turn it into a coaching house that would have a bar and eating area both with real fires, stone floors and dog and walker friendly, a beer garden with pizza oven and Bar-b-que and offer a social hub by way of a local darts team, Whist Drive, Dominoes and Bridge club.” She said they would also have looked into

the possible conversion of the first floor into bed and breakfast accommodation and the creation of a community Sunday morning breakfast and Sunday papers venue, where local residents of Kirkby and the surrounding villages could have relaxed and socialised.