Category: Latest News

The Big Pub Clear Up Continues!

As we move steadily towards opening there are still many jobs we need to complete and we need your help! Jobs to complete include further site tidying, cleaning, painting, groundworks, light gardening, planting – basically all sorts of things needing all sorts of skills. We would love to get as many of you involved as possible, it will speed things along and also allow you to see what is happening down on site.

There are some areas where we need to bring in professionals. That means for the next few weeks we will be limiting volunteer access to site to weekends.

Every week we will post updates through email and social media on what is needed. The place to get involved is at the volunteer sign-up form which will be updated weekly. We are keeping the slots short to make them manageable, but if you have more time then feel free to sign up to multiple slots. However, please do not come to site without first getting in touch and receiving confirmation, we need to keep track of numbers and maintain safe social distancing.

This is the exciting part and we can’t wait to see you!

Share Offer Re-opened!

We have had continued interest from those that missed the chance to invest during the initial share offering. We are therefore pleased to announce that we have re-opened the share offer. The share offer will now stay open until we hit our originally specified maximum target of £515,000.

With all your great support we raised enough money to buy the pub, but there are still many improvements we would like to make to the site. Further funding will also provide us with a welcome buffer during the uncertain times that we are currently operating under. Any money invested now will be used to continue renovations as we prepare for opening or to fund future enhancements to the site.

If you want to support us via investment or donation please follow the links below.

As always, thank you!

Buy Shares

For full information about our share offer please download:

The Big Clear Up

Do you want to volunteer for the White House BIG CLEAR UP on Saturday and Sunday 25/26th July?

Some of the things we would like to do first are listed below:

  • Sand and paint outdoor furniture. Ideally by taking it home, sanding down and painting (paint supplied)
  • Clear garden (weeding, sweeping, some heavy lifting)
  • Pressure washing paving

There will be a small amount of heavy lifting, but mostly it will involve a good clear up. We would ask that you bring your own equipment if you can (gloves, brooms, trowels etc.).

We need to ensure that we adhere to social distancing and that we do not have too many people on site at any one time, so it is essential that we co-ordinate working groups.

The days will be split into three hour shifts:

  • Saturday 25th July, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
  • Saturday 25th July, 2 p.m.- 5 p.m.
  • Sunday 26th July, 2 p.m.- 5 p.m.
  • Sunday 26th July, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Please let us know your availability and slot preferences here: https://bladoncommunitypub.org/volunteers-weekly and we will be in touch with confirmation of when we need you. Please only attend if you receive email confirmation from us.

If you are not available this weekend, or have skills that would be better used on other aspects of the project such as hard landscaping, plumbing, plastering, building, making soft furnishings, please don’t worry about not being able to help this weekend. Due to social distancing we may not be able to have everyone who wants to help on site for this first job but there will be more opportunities to get involved in the coming weeks.

Get Involved in the Next Phase of Bladon Community Pub

Here’s a quick update on what’s been happening for the last couple of weeks.

Our building, structural and architectural surveys are now back, just drainage to go. In addition to adding disabled toilets and landscaping the garden, there are some issues that the surveys have thrown up for which we need to get building quotes.
 
Call for Volunteers
As we move into the next phase of the project, we want everyone to get involved. We’ve outlined some areas that we’ll need help with over the summer to get the White House ready to reopen. Please complete this quick survey so that we can set up working groups that adhere to social distancing.

Complete the Volunteer Survey

Share Offer Reopened

We have been asked whether it is still possible to buy shares in the White House and the answer is YES!

We’ve restarted our share offer and you can now buy shares up until 31st July 2020. All funds raised will be used to improve the fabric of the building and bring community services to life.

There’s also a Crowdfunder donate option.

Be part of something amazing and own a part of history by becoming a White House shareholder.

Greene King’s Board Has Approved Bladon’s Purchase of the White House

We are delighted to confirm that our offer to purchase the White House has now been approved by Greene King’s board.

What happens next?

We have prepared a job description and advert to attract a suitable tenant that shares the community’s values and vision for the pub. We have also identified suitable advertising channels.

In addition, we have received quotes from several building surveyors who will complete a full survey prior to purchase and are working with a local architect and structural engineer to see what might be feasible with regard to disabled access for the toilets, baby changing facilities and a secure garden.

We have also investigated suitable grants, application criteria and deadlines. We believe there are two grants that could assist with paying for part of the planned upgrades. These grants could offer 25% and 40% of total costs if we are successful, there is of course a lengthy application process and no guarantee we will be successful.

Once we are able to gain access to the pub, we plan to move swiftly on upgrading the current facilities and making sure that we can open as soon as is feasibly possible.

We cannot wait to raise a glass with you to celebrate Bladon’s community pub!

The Help Hub – Helping Our Neighbours

Are you self isolating? Do you need some help? You are not alone. A local network has been set up for us to help each other in these worrying times.

All households in Bladon and Woodstock should have received a leaflet through their letterbox. The leaflet gives contact details of local volunteers who will help those in self isolation or who just need help. Volunteers can collect groceries, pick up prescriptions, give you a friendly phone call or put you in touch with a qualified therapist to talk through your worries. There’s no cost for help.

We are all here for each other, please do get in contact if you need help or wish to volunteer: community@thehelphub.co.uk

For those outside of Bladon and Woodstock, many community groups have been set up and we will do our best to signpost you to help.