'Nervous' ex-Leeds landlord's race against time as pub listed on Rightmove

A 'nervous' ex-Leeds landlord feels blindsided after the pub he's desperate to buy with a community group was listed on Rightmove.

Time is slipping away for David Holmes, 32, who is determined to once again get behind the bar of The Sportsman Inn, in Hunger Hill, Morley. David, along with his group, successfully applied for the pub to become a community asset in November - which means the community has an exclusive window to bid on it.

That deadline is fast approaching and will expire on Tuesday, June 11. The group has not yet made an offer to owners Admiral Taverns. They are desperately hoping a government grant will come through by the end of the month.

Read more: 'Angry' ex-Leeds landlord fumes pub price 'driven up to kill community sale'

David ran the pub with his partner Melanie Robinson for two years, until they were abruptly told to leave by Admiral Taverns in March last year. Ever since, the pair have made it their mission to reopen the premises as a community pub.

In lieu of any offers, the pub company has listed the Sportsman on Rightmove for £395,000. David felt blindsided by the fact Admiral Taverns had advertised the pub on the open market, ahead of the deadline.

Admiral Taverns and Leeds City Council has said the pub company is well within its right to do so and even negotiate with interested parties. They just can't sell it to anyone else before June 11.

David said: "I do feel a bit angry but if we don't get the government grant, we hope it will go to someone who will invest it into a pub with the ACV [Asset of Community Value] on it. Hopefully it remains a pub and we just get it reopened, even if we don't take it over. I feel a bit nervous about it but we can't really do anything about. We'll know if we get the grant by the end of this month."

A spokesperson for Admiral Taverns said: "Whilst The Sportsman Inn is currently within its six-month moratorium period, the pub is permitted to be listed online according to the Localism Act 2011 and Assets of Community Value Regulations 2012, however, a sale cannot be agreed until this has expired, on June 11.

"We have provided full access to the local community group who is interested in purchasing the site, but have not received any offers to date."

A spokesperson from Leeds City Council said: “The Sportsman Inn in Morley was approved and listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) in November 2023. This listing does not restrict what the owner can do with their property and does not prevent them from listing it for sale.

“Once an Asset is listed for sale a moratorium period begins. This is to give any interested community group the opportunity to express an interest in the asset and then submit a bid to acquire it.

“As the Sportsman Inn has now been listed for sale, the moratorium period has commenced and interested community groups are able to submit a bid to acquire it. During this time the owner cannot sell the property but may still negotiate with other interested parties.

“The moratorium period relating to The Sportsman Inn expires on June 11. After this time, the property owner is free to sell either to a community group that has submitted a bid or another preferred buyer. The property owner will make that decision and the council, as the responsible authority, are simply responsible for amending the List of Assets accordingly. Properties remain on the list for five years, unless sold following a moratorium period.”

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