Villagers in Semington are exploring the possibility of purchasing a beloved local pub in a bid to save it for the community.
The Somerset Arms closed in March 2023, and Semington Parish Council submitted a successful application to have the building registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).
This registration triggered a notification to the parish council that the owners of the Somerset Arms, Wellington Group, intended to put it up for sale. However, under the ACV terms, the community has the right to bid to buy the pub.
Villagers attended a parish council meeting at the end of last year to explore the idea of the community taking on the pub. The parish council confirmed its objective—shared with the community—of having a viable village pub.
However, at the time, the parish council stated that no community group was in a position to begin the process of purchasing the Somerset Arms, though it remained possible that such a group could emerge to prepare a bid.
A spokesperson for Semington Parish Council said last week that ‘discussions are ongoing.’
“The asking price is £450,000, but probably as much will also need to be spent on refurbishing and upgrading before it could operate successfully again. This is a huge amount of money. Discussions continue about whether a local bid will be possible, and we’re grateful for the efforts of those involved.”
The initiative follows similar efforts by other communities around Wiltshire that have purchased pubs as Assets of Community Value, including The Hop Pole Inn in Limpley Stoke, The King’s Head in Chitterne, and The Wheatsheaf Inn in Oaksey near Malmesbury.
