Community Funding Total Confirmed – Thank You
We are very pleased to share the confirmed outcome of the community share offerand donation campaign to help secure the future of the Bell at Iden.
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Following our community meeting on 18th December, we said we would publish a summary of the questions raised for those who were unable to attend. We apologise for the delay in doing so – the Christmas period inevitably slowed things down more than we had anticipated. Thank you for your patience.
Below is a summary of the main questions and answers from the evening.
Website
Q: What’s the name of the website?
A: Our website is www.bellatiden.com
Current owners and timing
Q: Do the existing owners still occupy the building? What happens if they are still living in the pub in February?
A: The current owners want to leave the pub and have indicated that they would like the sale completed by mid-January.
Existing funds
Q: There was money raised through previous fundraising activities – is there still money in the pot?
A: Yes. After covering expenses over the past year, £15,510 remains.
Restoration and planning
Q: What restoration or redecoration is needed, and could planning permission take a long time?
A: Our proposed tenant, John Rogers (owner of the Globe Inn, Rye), is drawing up plans, which are well advanced. He has considerable experience in dealing with planning applications.
Experience and track record
Q: Is the Globe community-owned or privately owned?
A: The Globe is privately owned and is a successful local pub.
Future sale and safeguarding the pub
Q: If the village buys the pub, what would stop it being sold on in future?
A: John Rogers is making a significant personal investment in the pub and is focused on its long-term success. In addition, as a Community Benefit Society, the CBS cannot make a commercial profit in the usual sense.
Comment from the floor: Ultimately, the most important thing is reopening the pub and having it back at the heart of village life, rather than its future resale value.
Share offer and returns
Q: Where would any interest on shares come from?
A: Any interest could only be paid from a trading surplus, in this case from rental income paid to the CBS. This would not be permitted for at least three years and then only at the discretion of the CBS.
Q: What happens to the proposed £24,000 rental income?
A: It could potentially be distributed to shareholders about 2% above base rate. All shareholders are members of the CBS, with a vote and a say in how any surplus funds are used.
Next steps
The committee is currently working on a leaflet explaining the community share offer. This is very close to completion, and we hope to publish it soon.
Thank you again for the continued interest, questions and support shown by the community. Further updates will follow shortly.
© The Bell Inn Iden Community Limited 2025. All Rights Reserved. By Olli Hopkins