PLANS to protect a closed country pub in a village near Stroud have been given the green light.

Proposals to grant the Three Horseshoes in Frampton on Severn an asset of community value has been approved by Stroud District Council. 

The boozer - which closed in June - has been a feature in the village for more than 150 years.

The application was submitted in June by a campaign group amid concerns about the future of the premises.

An asset of community value - known as an ACV - is a building or piece of land that is used to further the social wellbeing or interests of the local community.

It would mean that villagers’ wishes will be considered when officials consider future planning applications for the premises.

Pub is a 'hub of the community'

The nominating group describes the site as a ‘hub of the community’ where many different groups meet for regular meetings and events.

The ACV application reads: “Residents are concerned that the vital community value of the pub could be lost if the owners of the pub were to sell it and achieve a change of use of the building to a dwelling or any other use that is not a public house.

“The pub is a hub of the community and a focal point where residents from all walks of life meet regularly and where many local groups meet for regular meetings. 

“The pub is a fulcrum of social cohesion in the village, it is the location where local issues and interests are discussed and a key reason why Frampton on Severn is such a strong and vibrant community. 

“Its loss as a public house would materially impact upon the strong sense of community spirit and social cohesion within the village.”

It continues: “There are no other facilities in the area that provide the array of activities that this specific pub does.

“Over the years it seems that some pubs have identified their target market/social group and concentrated on that to the detriment of wider social cohesion. 

“This has never been the case at the Three Horseshoes, everyone is welcome, from
all walks of life, this makes it a unique asset in the area and hence a location where everyone is welcome, even the most vulnerable people in the area. 

“This melting pot of patrons results in the breaking down of potential barriers in the community and is a key reason why the village is such a welcoming place for all.”

The application was officially approved by SDC on Wednesday, October 2.

The Three Horseshoes pub during works in April (Image: Google Maps)

Approving the application, a planning officer said: “The nomination demonstrates a multitude of ways in which the pub has, in the recent past, furthered the social well-being and interests of the local community.

“There is no current reason why it is not realistic to think how these benefits cannot be provided in the next five years.

“For the reasons given above, it is considered that the application complies with all legal prerequisites as set out earlier in this report. 

“It is therefore appropriate to include The Three Horse Shoes in the list of
Assets of Community Value. The nomination is approved.”

You can view the application quoting 2024/0009/ASSETC or see here - tinyurl.com/3zmzdsah

“We are working tirelessly" say owners 

A spokesperson from Stonegate - which owns the pub - has told the SNJ they are looking to recruit a new publican to run the site. 

“We are currently working hard behind the scenes to recruit a new publican to run the lovely Three Horse Shoes pub in Frampton on Severn,” they said. 

“Located at the heart of the village, we know just how pivotal a role the pub plays in the community.

“We are working tirelessly to find the right publican to manage the beloved pub in the near future."