HEREFORDSHIRE, BULL’S HEAD, CRASWALL (noted as closed in the Nov. 
bulletin) has been bought, Mark Haslam reports. The good news, he says, is that the new owners are keen to re-establish its historic trading position - food with a wide appeal and local real ale and ciders from a stillage.

BRISTOL, PALACE, WEST STREET. Proposals are currently being decided by the city council to convert to residential use on th upper floors and office/shop use on the all-important ground floor. Objections have been lodged by Bristol CAMRA and I have written emphasising the importance of the arcaded bar-back fitting which ought to be retained in this listed building whatever the outcome of the planning decision.

BORDERS, TWEEDSMUIR, CROOK INN. Local campaigners fighting to save the Crook (famous for its stupendous Art Deco work) have won a reprieve for the pub. The local paper, the Southern Reporter, says: ‘a report from the district valuer could be vital to locals who have formed a community company in a bid to purchase the inn under Scotland’s right-to-buy laws.
‘Campaigners fighting to save the former coaching inn believe its owner James Doonan and his company Inverwest Ltd are asking too high a price for the closed-down pub.
‘Mr Doonan is believed to have paid £350,000 for the Crook Inn in May [2006]. He later closed it and the property was put on the market with a price tag of £450,000. Locals say the figure has scared-off possible buyers who wanted to reopen it as an inn.’
Full story on www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/Locals-win-small-reprieve.in
<http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/Locals-win-smallreprieve.in>.

More anon.

END