People 'from all over Cheltenham' have shown their support for a campaign to see a 'popular' town pub designated as a community asset, after plans to redevelop the site were revealed.
Community efforts to save The Bell Inn on Bath Road began in December 2024, after its owner submitted plans to Cheltenham Borough Council to convert the site into a house, flats and ground floor commercial space.
According to Carmelo Garcia, Local Democracy Reporter, the pub's 78-year-old landlord of 30 years, Chris Evans, first became aware of the plans when they were reported in the press.
Cheltenham's Conservative group has launched a petition to register The Bell Inn as an asset of community value, which would give the community an opportunity to make a bid to buy it, if and when the site was put up for sale on the open market.
As of last week, 375 people had signed the petition, with the group needing to submit it to the borough council as part of an application for community asset status by Monday 20 January 2025.
Petition organiser Rich Newman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'I think the community will struggle to thrive in the way it is without the Bell Inn to nurture it.
'Which is why we should do everything we can to emphasise to our elected councillors that this pub is popular and worth saving.'
Plans for the site include converting the pub into a two-bedroom house with a garden, three one-bedroom flats and a studio flat, with the ground floor being kept as commercial space.
Former Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk, who is supporting the campaign, commented: 'It’s great to see momentum building to save this previous community asset.'
A decision on the planning application for the pub is expected by Wednesday 29 January 2025.
