Evaluation Criteria for Assets of Community Value in Sheffield- The Castle Inn at Bolsterstone
Assets of Community Value Nomination-Assessment
DATE OF
SUBMISSION
25th February 2014
DATE DECISION TO 22nd April 2014
BE MADE BY:
NOMINATED ASSET
The Castle Inn at Bolsterstone, Sheffield
NOMINATION
SUBMITTED BY:
Bolsterstone Castle Inn Group
When a nomination for an asset of community value is received, Sheffield City Council will consider the nomination using a staged
process.
STAGE 1
Part A and B criteria for assessing whether an asset is of community value is in accordance with that set out in the Assets of
Community Value (England) Regulations 2012. Each section contains a reference to the relevant legislation but please refer to the
guidance notes accompanying this document when assessing the nomination. The paragraph numbering (e.g. A1 etc.) links
between this assessment form and the guidance notes.
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PART A-CRITERIA SPECIFIED IN THE ASSET OF COMMUNITY VALUE REGULATIONS
2012
CHECKLIST (PASS/FAIL)
A1. Is the nominating organisation an eligible body to nominate? (Section 5 of the Regulations)
Pass
A2. Does the nominating body have a local connection to the asset nominated? (Section 4 of the
Regulations)
Pass
A3.Does the nomination include the required information about the asset? (Section 6 of the
Regulations)
Pass
A4. Is the nominated asset outside of one of the categories that cannot be assets of community
value? (Schedule 1 of the Regulations)
Pass
IF ‘YES’ TO ALL OF PART A, MOVE TO PART B
Pass
IF ‘NO’ TO ONE OR MORE OF PART A, FOLLOW PROCESS FOR UNSUCCESSFUL
NOMINATIONS
PART B -ESTABLISHING THE CURRENT OR RECENT NON-ANCILLARY (PRIMARY) USE CHECKLIST
THAT THE APPLICATION IS BASED ON
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B1. Does the nomination form establish the current or recent usage of the asset which is the
subject of the nomination to be an actual and non-ancillary usage? (Part 5, Chapter 3, Section
88 (1) and (2) of the Localism Act 2011.)
Pass
IF YES, NOMINATION SHOULD BE ASSESSED BY PANEL
Pass
IF NO, FOLLOW PROCESS FOR UNSUCCESSFUL NOMINATIONS
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STAGE 2
Part C and D criteria for assessing whether an asset is of community value has been developed by Sheffield City Council
based on Part 5, Chapter 3, Section 88 of the Localism Act 2011.
Section 88 of the Localism Act states that the asset will be considered to be one of community value if:
a) its actual current use furthers the social wellbeing and interests of the local community, or a use in the recent past has done
so. (the legislation does not provide for a specific period, but as a general rule use in the past five years is considered to be
relevant)
b) that use is not an ancillary one; and
c) for land in current community use it is realistic to think that there will continue to be a use which furthers social wellbeing and
interests, or for land that has been in community use in the recent past, it is realistic to think that there will be community use
within the next five years (in either case, whether or not that use is exactly the same as the present or past); and
d) it does not fall within one of the exemptions.
PART C
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING WHETHER THE USAGE CURRENTLY OR IN THE RECENT PAST FURTHERS SOCIAL
WELLBEING AND INTERESTS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
C1. What is the ‘local community’
of the asset as defined by the
geographical area?
Evidence provided by nominee
Communities and individuals from
Bolsterstone; Ewden Valley; Stocksbridge;
Deepcar; Bradfield; isolated farms and
houses in the area.
People who visit the Castle Inn will include
people from further afield but will be walkers
and others visiting the above areas
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specifically.
C2. What is the current/recent
use of the asset? (types of
activities)
Evidence gained from other
relevant sources (owner, Ward
member etc.)
Evidence provided by nominee
Public house, including serving meals, and
function room (use includes choir practice,
meetings and celebrations).
C3. How well is/was the asset
used? (evidence of the
building/property/land use)
Evidence gained from other
relevant sources (owner, Ward
member etc.)
Evidence provided by nominee
The Castle Inn is the social focal point for the
village and surrounding communities,
individuals and isolated farms and houses.
Specific events, eg harvest festival auction,
summer fayre, Christmas and new years, and
good weather (walkers and visitors to the
area), lead to the pub being full, often
standing room only.
It supports other events and functions, for
example refreshments following weddings,
funerals and christenings, and consequently
other assets such as the village hall and
church, in the village.
People of all ages use the pub thereby
supporting community and inter generational
cohesion.
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The following gives a flavour of the wide
ranging support given to different
communities and groups:
 Bolsterstone Choir – use for practice,
meetings and for socialising. With
photographs and trophies displayed the
pub promotes the choir.
 Summer Fayre – offering shelter in the
rain and refreshment in the heat ensuring
people stay around and support the
fundraising of the summer fayre which
supports Sheffield charities.
 Attracting people to the village providing
opportunity for additional people just
coming to the pub to then go around
events/activities in the village, eg the
summer and Christmas fayres, when they
may not have come to/known of the
fayres alone.
 Harvest Festival auction held annually in
the pub – raising funds for Sheffield
charities, for example Sheffield Childrens
Hospital, Air Ambulance, McMillons, St
Lukes.
 Church – including wedding, christening
and funeral functions.
 The pub, village hall and church mutually
support each other as people hear of
events/functions while socialising in the
pub, also moving on to the pub following
events/functions and seasonal
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



celebrations and services.
Meeting place for local groups, for
example the Fishing club and Community
Garden Group for planning meetings;
village volunteers for refreshments during
‘work days’.
Continuing traditions of many years such
as the gathering on Christmas day when
choir members go in the pub and people
from miles around come along for a sing
a long.
It is historically one of the few pubs where
traditional north Sheffield carols are sung,
thus keeping alive a tradition and songs
that are unique to the area.
Providing refreshments for walkers and
others enjoying the local countryside
Having lost a shop and school the Castle Inn
is an important part of the social fabric of the
village and surrounding communities.
C4. What will the impact be if the
usage ceases? If usage has
ceased already, what has the
impact been?
Evidence gained from other
relevant sources (owner, Ward
member etc.)
Evidence provided by nominee
The local meeting place for people will
disappear. It is the only place some
individuals come to socialise and should it
cease as a public house those individuals will
become isolated for much, possibly all, of the
time. This did happen to individuals when the
pub closed for 5 weeks from April 2013.
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As well as being a place where local people
meet to organise local events the pub also
supports those events, eg the summer and
Christmas fayres, harvest festival auction and
choir members go in after practice and
performances. Should the pub close there
would be less attendance at local events and
there is a strong chance the number of
members of the choir could dwindle as
socialising is a large part of the experience of
being in the choir. The consequences would
be that historic local traditional events would
cease. The village and local area are very
proud of the association of the Bolsterstone
Choir but dwindling membership would
weaken the choir performances and may
eventually lead to the loss of this longstanding
and important organisation.
The more local events that are lost the
greater the chances of isolation of individuals.
Local people are employed at the pub,
therefore closure would mean loss of jobs for
local people.
Evidence gained from other
relevant sources (owner, Ward
member etc.)
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C5. Does it/did it meet the social
Evidence provided by nominee
interests of the community as a
whole and not the
users/customers of a specific
service? (examples would include
use by local community groups or
sporting clubs)
C6. How is the
building/property/land regarded
by the community? (community
consultation, evidence of support)
The pub is a social meeting place for the
communities and isolated farms/houses
around the area. Additionally it supports local
social activities, for example the Bolsterstone
Choir, Summer Fayre and Village Hall and
Church events. Specific events lead to the
pub being full, eg harvest festival auction,
summer fayre, Christmas and new years. It is
open to all.
Evidence gained from other
relevant sources (owner, Ward
member etc.)
Evidence provided by nominee
The ongoing use of the pub shows peoples
support for it.
Strength of feeling was demonstrated when
the pub closed in April 2013 and 39 people
came to a meeting at a days notice to discuss
the future of the pub. There was then/is now a
strong commitment from local people to form
a co-operative that would wish to bid to buy
the pub should it come up for relevant
disposal.
Numbers grew to nearly 60 people at a
second meeting arranged to give an update
following a meeting with the pubs owners.
During this time a facebook page was created
to keep people informed of developments
about when the pub would re-open. While live
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there were more than 150 members. This
facebook page was closed when the new
lessee created their own.
Evidence gained from other
relevant sources (owner, Ward
member etc.)
RATIONALE
PASS
IF THE NOMINATION PASSES PART C, GO TO PART D.
IF THE NOMINATION FAILS PART C, FOLLOW PROCESS FOR UNSUCCESSFUL NOMINATIONS (PROCESS TO BE
CONFIRMED)
PART D: This section considers whether it is realistic to think that there can continue to be non-ancillary use of the
building or other land which will further (whether or not in the same way) the social wellbeing or social interests of the
local community).
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING WHETHER (FOR ‘CURRENT’ USES) THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE SOCIAL USE OF THE
ASSET OR (FOR ‘RECENT’ USES) THAT IT IS REALISTIC TO THINK THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY USE AGAIN WITHIN
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
D1. What is the proposed future
Evidence provided by nominee
Public house, including serving meals, and
use of the asset? (types of
function room (available for use including
activities)
choir practice, meetings and celebrations).
This was confirmed by the Business Manager
for Trust Inns, Mr Alan Bensa, in a meeting on
05 April 2013. The meeting was organised
following the announcement of the then
current landlord leaving and concerns as to
the future of the pub.
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Evidence gained from other
relevant sources (owner, Ward
member etc.)
D2. Will it meet the social
interests of the community as a
whole and not the
users/customers of a specific
service?
Evidence provided by nominee
Yes – the pub would remain open to all and
supporting many events as described within
this nomination form.
Evidence gained from other
relevant sources (owner, Ward
member etc.)
RATIONALE
PASS
IF THE NOMINATION PASSES PART D, FOLLOW PROCESS FOR ELIGIBLE NOMINATIONS (PROCESS TO BE
CONFIRMED)
IF THE NOMINATION FAILS PART D, FOLLOW PROCESS FOR UNSUCCESSFUL NOMINATIONS (PROCESS TO BE
CONFIRMED)
RECOMMENDATION
The Castle Inn at Bolsterstone is listed as an Asset of Community Value
REASON FOR DECISION
This is a commercially viable pub business operating in Bolsterstone. However in
addition it also facilitates community activities on a regular basis. The applicants
have provided evidence to support this community use and the owners have raised
no objection. In reaching this recommendation, consideration was given as to
whether this use was merely ancillary. Whilst in some circumstances community use
of a public house could be ancillary, the evidence provided shows that the pub
provides a number of community uses and that these community uses could
legitimately be considered to contribute to its viability. This therefore indicates that
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the community uses are more than just ancillary to the running of a viable pub
business. The evidence provided supports the assertion that the social use of the
public house will continue.
In conclusion, it appears that the evidence provided demonstrates that this
property’s actual and current use furthers the social wellbeing and interests of the
local community and satisfies the statutory tests set out in sections 88 a) to d) of the
Localism Act 2011
DECISION TAKEN BY
Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Cabinet Member for Communities and Inclusion
DATE
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