Sale agreed to bring pub back to life

A community group campaigning to save a pub has announced a sale to acquire it has finally been agreed.

The New Clarence, in Charles Street, Hull, called last orders in 2023 and was sold to Kingston Apartments, which wanted to reopen the venue and turn part of it into NHS accommodation, but the plans were rejected by Hull City Council.

In a joint statement, The Hull Community Pub Society (HCPS) and the owners said the sale would be completed by 31 January 2025 and the society would focus on delivering "exciting plans for the renewal as Hull's first community owned and run pub".

The purchase price has not been disclosed.

Simon Berry, chairman of HCPS, thanked the owners for "working through the challenges" in deciding to sell the pub.

He said: "We fully appreciate that this was an incredibly difficult decision for them to make but thank them in reaching an agreement with us.

"This sale will deliver a highly prized outcome for members of Hull Community Pub Society, CAMRA and involved local residents."

In September, the authority refused the developers' revised planning application following the rejection of a previous bid to turn the venue into a house of multiple occupancy.

HCPS had raised £450,000 to launch its own bid to buy the pub and reopen it as a community venue.

Mr Berry said: "As a part of the deal to sell the property, we have all agreed that it is best that we all look forward to the positive outcomes ahead of us all, rather than linger any longer in the unfortunately polarised planning matters that have held us all in limbo for so long."

He praised the current owners for their "ethical" values and "efforts in bringing much more opportunity for diversity to the city through their Fuel and Propaganda venues".

Explaining the reason to sell, the statement said one of the developers had moved to Devon to oversee a large-scale not-for-profit project and HCPS had offered to support it "where we are able".

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