Chilmark group's first bid to buy the Black Dog Inn is rejected

The Black Dog Inn, the only pub in Chilmark, closed on October 20, 2023, shortly after owner Robert Jones withdrew his plans to build two houses in the beer garden.

Former pub manager James Cole previously told the Journal that the pub closed because it "wasn't making any money" and he was given two months to move out after the closure.

But 'Save the Black Dog Inn', a working party of 13 residents, was formed in an attempt to revive the pub by taking ownership and leasing it to another tenant.

The group submitted a bid to buy the Asset of Community Value on Friday, January 19, five days before the deadline but Mr Jones turned the offer down.

The Black Dog Inn, Chilmark, is an Asset of Community Value. (Image: Anonymous)

A spokesperson for Save the Black Dog Inn, who did not wish to be named, said the negotiation is "still ongoing" and that the group is waiting to see if anything changes for Mr Jones in the coming months.

They added: "When we have an offer accepted we can finalise our numbers in our business plan and submit our application for the Community Ownership Fund grant.

"If we are successful, we could get up to £250k towards the capital side of the transaction and up to a £50k revenue grant for the working capital start up costs.”

Mr Jones put the pub on the market for £550k in June, 2023, but excluded some of the car park land.

Chairman Natalie Surtees, of the working party, previously told the Journal the group was "fairly optimistic" about raising the funds required to buy the pub.

Read more: ​Group optimistic about raising £550k to save the Black Dog, Chilmark

Members of the working party have spent £3k of their own money on the project and the group hopes to recuperate some of this through fundraising events.

The group held a carol night at Chilmark Reading Room on December 23 and raised £1k but it intends to host another social event in March.

The spokesperson said: "We're very grateful for the support we have had from the community so far. We can't wait to see the pub open again. It has got huge potential so we hope someone will want to buy it if we can't."

"We can’t wait to see the pub open again. It has got huge potential so we hope someone will want to buy it if we can’t."

Robert Jones, director of Future Holdings Ltd, who owns the Black Dog, submitted plans to chop down 12 ash trees on the site which he claims are diseased with ash die back.

The proposal has been met with strong objections from residents including Chilmark Parish Council which said the application is "incomplete" as no tree surveys have been included.

"There is no supporting evidence that these trees are in a state of ash die back that warrants their removal on arboricultural grounds," the council added.