The Save Our Swan team have recently applied for a bursary from the Plunkett Foundation (a charity set up to try and assist community projects) and this week we received confirmation that Plunkett will provide a £2,500 bursary. These funds will be used to fund some of the work required to ascertain the value of the Black Swan building and also viability of the pub as a business.
This successful application was the result of some hard work by the team and takes us one step nearer to saving the Black Swan, with particular thanks to Paul Richards.
We are also in the process of setting up the Monxton Community Benefit Society (MCBS), which will be the legal vehicle for the project and should be in place early in the New Year
All donations, which villagers have provided will be transferred from the Monxton Parish Council bank account to the new MCBS bank account along with the bursary monies.
This will be used to fund the work required to undertake the ‘red book’ survey of the pub during the first week of January, which will provide the following:
- A valuation of the building and cost of reparations/refurbishment to the point where it can open for business
- An estimate of the likely business turnover for the Back Swan as a Free House
The next steps will be to open negotiations with Enterprise Inns and to propose a figure for the purchase of the Black Swan as an ongoing business.
While any development of the Black Swan itself, and the car park plus the village green, may mean a higher sale price for Enterprise Inns, it would require a Change of Use from TVBC. This would not be allowed while the Asset of Community Value (ACV) order is in place and while the community is negotiating with Enterprise Inns.
We will need assistance from the entire community and this includes the local villagers of Monxton, Amport, Quarley, Grateley and Abbots Ann, plus people from Andover and the Army HQ to support this project as it progresses and also to provide the various skills at different stages.
If you wish to help raise funds or join the team or offer any skills please call or email either:
Sarah Dowding on 01264 710375 / 07712 836383 sarah@classictravelling.com
or
Mike Cleugh on 01264 710276 / 07836 792545 mikecleugh@hotmail.com
Monxton Matters 
Lived in monxton forward nearly 3 years had so much pleasure walking to the pub and a nice pint and a good meal would not have left but my wife passed away suddenly and could not stay in England so moved to our house in france. But still think of the mucky duck as home in England. Only hope some day it might quack again
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