Campaign to save Lion from elderly (From Wiltshire Times)

Campaign to save Lion from elderly

11:30am Sunday 21st September 2008

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THE Campaign For Real Ale is urging people to write to the district council to stop an historic Melksham pub being turned into a day centre for the elderly.

Complete Care Services Wiltshire Ltd has filed a planning application with West Wiltshire District Council to transform The Red Lion.

However CAMRA representatives hope people will bombard the council with objections and make sure the plans are stopped.

Richard Putley, pub campaigns officer for the local branch of CAMRA, said: "This is historically the oldest pub in Wiltshire and could date back as early as the 13th century.

"It is also one of only two pubs on the west bank of the River Avon and the other pub caters more for people who like loud music and TV.

The Red Lion catered for a much broader selection of the community and was very traditional."

The pub closed on March 28 and the owner, Enterprise Inns, placed a covenant on the sale of the building so it could not be run as a pub again in future. This covenant ensured it would not provide competition for the chain's other pub The Unicorn, just over the road.

Just before the closure a petition was put up in The Red Lion and in just over a week there were 112 signatures wanting it kept open.

Mr Putley said he hoped those 112 people would come forward and write to the district council to oppose the plans for a day centre for the elderly.

CAMRA is calling on the new owners to reopen the building as a pub.

In March Gordon King, of the Box Steam Brewery near Colerne, and Ken Roberts, who owns the award-winning Cross Guns at Avoncliff and The Inn at Freshford, approached estate agents Kavanaghs with an offer for The Red Lion. They were turned down.

Mr Putley said: "CAMRA notes that Complete Care Services have a link on their website to the Melksham website which promotes the town. We would like to know why, if they are keen to promote the attractions of Melksham, do they plan to rob it of the oldest pub in the town."

A spokesman for Complete Care Services Wiltshire Ltd said: "It is our intention to restore some of the features back to their original, and we still intend to use the name The Red Lion. The building will not be changing, just the clientele.

"The planning application that we have submitted will allow us to provide a much-needed day care centre for the elderly of Melksham and its surrounding areas. The centre will offer a range of activities for the elderly, somewhere where they can meet friends, socialise, have a choice of freshly cooked lunches and even have a bath.

"We are aware that many public houses are closing - 36 per week according to figures, but the major impact would be in villages whereby the pub plays a significant part of the community. Melksham, however, has approximately 16 pubs and clubs."

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