A GROUP attempting to bring a historic but now derelict village pub back to life as a community asset are appealing to the public for support.

The Henry Jenkins Inn, in Kirkby Malzeard, near Ripon, is about 200 years old, and is named after a man who is said to have lived 169 years and is buried in Brompton-on-Swale.

The Henry Jenkins Community Co-op is holding a public meeting in June to bring people up to date with their plans to save the pub and bringing it back to being at the centre of the community.

The pub has been closed since 2011, and after planning permission to demolish and erect houses on the site was turned down it has since been declared a community asset.

David Robinson from HJCC said: "It was sold to a pub chain in 2008 and unfortunately went downhill there as the landlord just kept putting the rent up so the tenants struggled and it eventually closed.

"It was bought again but signs offering it for sale or let were put up, and unfortunately it never got taken on."

Plans were submitted to Harrogate Borough Council to build houses on the site, however these have been refused by the authority, and a subsequent appeal was also rejected.

In co-op has had three Asset of Community Value (ACV) nominations and they are about to submit their fourth, meaning the group have six months in order to put an offer to the owner, in which time he can not sell to anyone else.

Mr Robinson said: "The HJCC is now a community benefit society. It can raise community finances and shares but we can't do anything with it unless it benefits the community.

"We have to get a bid on the table by the end of June. We are working on a new business plan, and we are approaching everyone who pledged money in the past.

"We are holding a residents meeting in early June before our public meeting on Monday, June 17 at 7pm at the Mechanics Institute Village Hall to discuss our plans. We have so much support, not only from the village but from Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), and other community-run pubs nearby, the George and Dragon at Hudswell and Green Dragon at Exelby, both of which are thriving."

Owner of the Henry Jenkins Inn, David Fielder, said: "The building has been on the market for eight years, and had been closed for 18 months when I bought it. No one has been forward with an offer to purchase it since I have owned it – but if I was made a sensible offer then of course I would consider it.

"The Henry Jenkins Inn is about 200 metres away from the Queens Head pub, and opposite the village hall which is fully licensed. The village is not short of community facilities."

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