Hello,
A little update on the Iron Bridge Inn.
Following our petition, local campaigning and other factors, the application for the Iron Bridge Inn to be turned into residential use was withdrawn.
The property has been back on the market for sometime at £350,000. You may have seen the for sale signs. If it does not sell, the application to turn it into residential property will likely go back in again.
As we all know, it would be a wonderful thing if the pub was saved in some way for the local community and Exeter. It would bring people together and lift the neighbourhood.
A local pub business did put in an offer - partially encouraged by our high levels of local support. They had a survey completed, but due to the challenges that came up in this, they withdrew. Here are the first few pages of the property survey which they kindly shared with us. That all said, a local expert already reached out saying that they'd not be too worried about what's come up in that.
Our campaign to save the pub as a community pub mainly faltered as not enough people were available to provide the necessary time and energy. Most of the people involved already had full-time jobs.
It is still the case that a financial model such as a crowdfunded Community Share Offer could result in a successful purchase and refurbishment of the pub and its spaces.
It may be that one or more people reading this:
- would love the pub to become a community pub
- don't mind the issues in the property survey
- have the time and energy
- are up for the challenge
I know there are people who signed this petition who will be able to tick all those boxes!
Maybe you fancy making something magical happen?
If that's you, please let me know at ironbridgeinncommunitypub@gmail.com or via social media and I'll connect everyone who replies. It would be a shame if an earlier campaign push unintentionally prevented another effort from taking place. There is a great deal of support in the community for something good to happen.
Linked to this issue I've started another Change petition to Exeter Council calling for an Exeter Citizens' Plan - a plan to empower everyone to improve life in our city. You can read and support this here.
Thanks very much!
Daniel