THE FIGHT continues to save the last remaining pub in a Buckinghamshire village from being converted into flats.

Residents in and around Loudwater, High Wycombe, have formed a committee in a bid to save The Derehams Inn and will be meeting tonight (September 7) to discuss how they can save it.

The Derehams Inn Community Group aims to raise funds so that the local community can purchase and revive the historic building as a pub.

The group's efforts have already seen success, as the Buckinghamshire establishment has been re-listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) since April 2023.

ALSO READ: Plans to knock down The Dereham Inn refused by Buckinghamshire Council

This achievement followed a widely publicised petition that garnered more than 800 signatures.

The group has also gained support from High Wycombe MP, Steve Baker.

Furthermore, the planning application for the redevelopment of the site was rejected on August 7, 2023.

To further their cause, the Derehams Inn Community Group will be hosting an open meeting on Thursday, September 7, at 7.30 pm at High Wycombe Rugby Club.

The purpose of the meeting is to inform attendees about the group's plan to secure the pub's future and outline ways in which the community can provide support.

 

During the gathering, the group will also unveil how interested individuals can become committee members, which will involve helping raise campaign funds.

Additionally, a crowdfunding campaign will be launched to acquire the pub.

Mick Parsons, of The Derehams Inn Community Group, said: “The Derehams Inn has been a pub since 1860 and was run successfully by Graham and Maggie Sturgess for over 20 years.

"We are thrilled that we’ve got the pub re-listed as an ACV and have the backing from thousands of people in and around Loudwater, as well as support from MP, Steve Baker. However, this is just the start. We have established a group of like-minded locals who are wholeheartedly committed to securing the future of the pub. Village pubs are an integral part of community life and a part of UK heritage.

ALSO READ: Campaigners start fight to save The Derehams Inn, Loudwater

"We believe that the trend towards pub closures is an urgent problem that needs to be addressed before these treasured establishments are lost forever. We have been fortunate enough to have received advice and support from The Craufurd Arms pub in Maidenhead, which became a community pub in 2017 and have also begun collaborating with The Boundary Arms in Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead, who are at a similar stage in their journey to save their pub. 

He lamented the loss of not only pubs but also British Legion clubs and social clubs in many villages, leaving locals without places to socialise and connect.

Adding: "Many villages, like Loudwater, have seen the loss of not just pubs, but also British Legion clubs and social clubs, leaving nowhere for the locals to socialise and network."

The group's ultimate goal is to raise awareness on both local and national levels.

They hope to not only secure the funds they desperately need but also avoid the fate of the Crooked House pub in Himley, Staffordshire, which mysteriously burned down before it could be saved by the local community.

As the Loudwater community rallies behind the Derehams Inn Community Group, their efforts to preserve the village's last pub continue to gain momentum.

With the re-listing of the pub as an ACV and the rejection of the redevelopment plans, the future of The Derehams Inn is looking brighter.

The upcoming open meeting provides an opportunity for community members to contribute to the cause and ensure that this cherished establishment remains a symbol of Loudwater's heritage and community spirit.