The Royal Oak, Hail Weston
Royal Oak Pub | |
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Royal Oak Pub, Hail Weston, 2002 | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
EU Parliament | East of England |
The Royal Oak is an 18th-century public house in the village of Hail Weston, Cambridgeshire. It is the last remaining pub in the village, which is home to a population of around 610,[1] and has a long history as a community centre.[2] [3]
A number of local traditions revolve around the Royal Oak. These include the New Year's Day go-kart contest, where homemade push-karts are raced along the high street;[4] an Easter Egg hunt in the pub gardens; the local Heartsease dances that takes place in and outside the pub;[5] the 'onion bowl' where onions smoothed and prepped in the Royal Oak's kitchens are rolled (in a variation on ten-pin bowling); the 'egg dump' - a more dramatic version of conkers using eggs; a charity bike ride (raising funds for Action Medical Research); a fun run; and regular celebrations at national holidays - such as Christmas, Easter and New Year.[6]
The Royal Oak is a grade II listed building with a traditional thatched roof.[7] Inside, the exposed beams and posts have been preserved, as well as the fireplace. According to surveyors, it was built around 1750.
In November 2011, the Royal Oak was sold by the Charles Wells Pub Company.[8] On January 1, 2012 it was closed as a pub, and in March 2012 it was put up for auction - but failed to sell. It was auctioned again in May 2012, and again failed to sell.[9]
At the same time, a Hail Weston community group formed (the Hail Weston Community Pub Society)[10] (HWCPS) to attempt to buy the Royal Oak and run it as a community pub.
In January 2013 it was registered as an Asset of Community Value under the Localism Act 2011,[11] and in November 2013 the Hail Weston Community Pub Society made a formal offer for the Royal Oak.[12] The offer was not accepted.[13] HWCPS made another, significantly higher, offer in 2015, but this was also rejected.
After several years of negotiations, a group of villagers (and members of HWCPS) got together in 2016 to make a fresh bid to buy the Royal Oak, and on 31 January 2017 the sale finally went through.[14]
Renovation and restoration work began in the following weeks, with the assistance of roughly 50 volunteers. The Royal Oak reopened on Friday 19th May 2017.[15] [16]
References
- ↑ http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11124118&c=PE19+5JW&d=16&e=13&g=6406167&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&p=2&q=1&r=0&s=1490019559304&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2473
- ↑ http://www.hailweston.org.uk/html/time_trails.html
- ↑ http://hailweston.org.uk/amenities/royal-oak/
- ↑ St Neots Town Crier: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Huntingdon-St-Ives-St-Neots/VIDEO-Go-karts-make-a-come-back-in-annual-village-tradition-in-Hail-Weston-20140108140000.htm
- ↑ http://www.heartseasedance.co.uk/about/
- ↑ BuzzFeed. How A Scrappy Community Bought Its Own Pub... Well, Almost: http://www.buzzfeed.com/hailwestoncommunitypub/how-a-scrappy-community-bought-its-own-pub-well-m2p0
- ↑ http://www.hailweston.org.uk/html/time_trails.html
- ↑ Cheffins Estate Agents: http://www.cheffins.co.uk/lot/sold-prior---royal-oak-high-street-hail-weston-cambs-pe19-5jw-535944-propertyauctions-0
- ↑ Network Auctions: http://auctioneertemplates.eigroup.co.uk/Results.aspx?a=389&c=ela&au=16928
- ↑ Hail Weston Community Pub Society: http://www.savetheroyaloak.org.uk/
- ↑ http://www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/HDCCMS/Documents/Policy%20documents/List-of-Assets-of-Community-Value.pdf
- ↑ http://www.savetheroyaloak.org.uk/
- ↑ Hunts Post: Villagers bid to buy Huntingdonshire pub rejected: http://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/latest-news/villagers_bid_to_buy_huntingdonshire_pub_rejected_1_3127029
- ↑ http://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/village_pub_set_to_re_open_after_community_group_steps_in_with_offer_1_4889481
- ↑ http://www.thegoodpubguide.co.uk/pub/view/Royal-Oak-PE19-5JW
- ↑ http://www.royaloakhailweston.com/
Coordinates: 52°14′44″N 0°17′42″W / 52.2455°N 0.2950°W