Purpose

The
purpose of this decision is to decide whether the land/building
should be included as an asset of community value
(“ACV”) on the Council’s register of
ACVs.
 
On 14
October 2024 a nomination was received from Barton Parish Council
in respect of The Hoops Public House, School Lane, Barton CB23 7BD.
This is a re-nomination of an asset that was removed from the list
on 11 December 2020 in accordance with the legislation following
expiry of the listing.
 
Following consideration of the nomination, Notice of Nomination
was sent to Cllrs Lisa Redrup, Ariel Cahn and Michael Atkins (for
the district Ward of Harston & Comberton), to the Parish
Council acknowledging their nomination and to the owners and
occupier. The nomination was also publicised through the
Council’s Parish e-bulletin and the Lead Member for
Communities was notified.

Content

Officers have considered the
nomination along with the feedback received following issue of
Notices of Nomination and are satisfied that the non-ancillary and
current use of the asset as detailed in the nomination form and
accompanying map does further the social well-being, or cultural
recreational or sporting interests of the local community. It is
also considered realistic to think there can continue to be
non-ancillary use of the asset which will further the social
interests of the local community. Therefore, it can be accepted, in
accordance with Section 88 (1) of the Localism Act 2011.

Reasons for the decision

Built in the 1700s,
The Hoops Public House has been trading as a pub for almost 200 hundred years. It is
situated at the heart of Barton and is the hub of village life
providing drinks, regular food trucks, barbeques and live bands.
The pub is appealing to families as children can play in the
garden. It also hosts events/meetings that have
included:

•               
‘Morris’ dancing

•               
The Harley Davison Club of East Anglia

•               
The Vintage Motorcycle Club

•               
Weddings

•               
Quiz nights

•               
Annual ‘Welly Wanging’

•               
Annual children’s Halloween party
 
The pub
also offers a Community Winter Warm Space where locals in need can
sit by the fire and enjoy free tea and biscuits and has its own
darts team. An Easter egg hunt will take place in 2025, and a
sunflower competition has recently concluded where pupils at Barton
Primary School were invited to grow the flowers from seeds for
planting in the pub garden. The village runs a Christmas decoration
theme which the Hoops always joins in with and plans for a
Christmas mulled wine event are in the making. The pub played a
central part in the village street party in honour of the
King’s Coronation by hosting a children’s magic show,
live music and a food truck. Plans are also being made for an
annual village summer street party which the Hoops will once again
co-host.
 
Residents are fully engaged in
protecting the pub as documented in petitions signed by numerous
residents and testimonials.
 
Facebook petition comments
include:
"The
Hoops is a central cog of the community."
"The
Hoops is a great pub"
"This
pub is involved in the local community,
It
meets the description of an asset of community value.

Alternative options considered

The options are:
(a) To accept the nomination and
place the asset on the register of assets of community
value,
(b) To
refuse the nomination and place the asset on the register of
unsuccessful nominations.
 
Refused
as the pub met the criteria for an asset of community
value.