Following a campaign to save it from being converted into homes, The Bell Inn in Cheltenham has been protected from redevelopment this March 2025, securing asset of community value (ACV) status.
The community rallied with a petition to see the pub on Bath Road achieve the designation, after its owner submitted plans to convert it into a two-bed house with a garden and four flats in December 2024.
The planning application was refused in February 2025, with councillors saying the proposals for the Grade II-listed building would have resulted in 'overdevelopment' and went against planning policies, according to local democracy reporter Carmelo Garcia.
And the awarding of ACV status by Cheltenham Borough Council means any further applications to change the use of the property are unlikely to be successful, with the status serving as a material planning consideration.
It also gives the community the right to bid for the property, given six months to prepare an offer, should the owner decide to sell it.
The council says The Bell's nomination by a committee of local residents was supported by 'compelling evidence' that it is well used for a variety of recreational purposes that contribute to the wellbeing of the community, including a petition which garnered hundreds of signatures.
Also awarded ACV status this March 2025 is Daisybank Field, a 'much-loved' green space just below Leckhampton Hill, which is accessible from the urban part of town with easier terrain for children and the elderly; and serves as a 'cherished' sledging spot when it snows, too.
Deborah Jones, chair of The Bell Inn ACV committee, said: 'We’re pleased that our loyal residents regard The Bell Inn as a vital hub for social interaction and recreation, it highlights the essential role these spaces play in the wellbeing of the community. I would like to thank everyone for their support.'
And pub landlord Chris Evans commented: 'Everybody is really pleased we are staying open'.
