Te community campaign to save the


Chequer Inn


L


ots of people have a dream listed property that they would like to own, cherish and preserve. It’s more


unusual for an entire community to come together to own, cherish and preserve a building, but that’s what the people of Ash, just outside Sandwich in Kent, have done.


The Chequer Inn is an impressive timbered Grade II listed building dating from the 15th century. It was first granted a licence to sell beer on the 8 May 1674 and was used as a pub ever since, until its closure in 2014 when the licensee could no longer run the pub. The Chequer Inn has stood empty and neglected since, but the villagers feel that the pub still has an important part to play in bringing the community together.


The property was initially sold to a developer who applied to turn it into two residences with more to be built into the land at the back. The community objected – strongly – and began to use the planning process to make their objections known. In 2015 the local parish council submitted an ‘Asset of Community Value’ to Dover District Council to try to ensure the Chequer Inn remained a pub and was protected from redevelopment in what is a conservation area. The developer successfully appealed and then submitted plans to change the use of the pub to a residential dwelling including a garage with full internal and external alterations.


16 Listed Heritage Magazine September/October 2018


The fight was on! The locals rallied and demonstrated in central Ash, 130 villagers galvanised support for a second ACV to be submitted and over 100 objections placed on Dover District Council’s website to the plans. A committee was set up and led by local resident Matthew Titterton who said ‘It was heart-breaking to think that a wonderful historic pub that has been the heart of the community for well over 300 years could have been closed forever and developed into housing. After chatting to several people in the village, it was obvious that it was noticeably missed.’


Top left:


The village demonstration


Top right: Back of the Chequer Inn


Above: The bar with taps to be replaced


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