A campaign for a former popular public house in Timbersbrook to operate as a community pub in the future once again has taken a "massive stride" in the "right direction".

Plans to convert the former Coach and Horses into a single dwelling were previously labelled "scandalous" and a quest to secure an Asset of Community Value status to save the public house was supported by Congleton Town Council.

An Asset of Community Value can be a building or other land that is an asset of community value if its main use has recently been or is presently used to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community and could do so in the future.

Congleton ward councillor Rob Moreton presented the Asset of Community Value (AVC) status to Cheshire East's Community Right to Bid Decision Group on Tuesday on behalf of Timbersbrook residents.

The application was successful which means the pub cannot be sold without notification being sent to Cheshire East and the local community.

Dominic Bardsley, from Stalybridge, who is now the owner of the pub on Under Rainow Road, withdrew his change of use planning application yesterday (Wednesday) which Cllr Moreton believes was a direct result of the successful AVC.

Cllr Moreton told Nub News: "There is still a long way to go but it's a massive stride in the right direction.

"It has been an honour to represent the residents of Timbersbrook and the 400 people who objected to this application.

"Hopefully, we will get the result everyone wants in the future with the Coach and Horses, operating as a community pub."

In a letter to Mr Bardsley, which was submitted alongside the planning application to Cheshire East Council, Robinsons Brewery, the former owners of the pub, before its closure in July 2020, claimed that the level of trade at the Coach and Horses had "steadily declined" during the period 2014 to 2020.

In a letter dated November 2020, the brewery stated throughout that period that Frederic Robinson Limited had to "assist the licensees, with sustaining the trade and supporting their business".

Within the last 10 years there had been six different licensees at the premises according to Robinson's.

The brewery claimed that drinking trends had "significantly altered in recent times" which had a "significant impact" on the "volume of public houses which could be sustained by the reduced consumption in alcohol."

Robinson's Brewery added in their letter: "The assessment of the business at the Coach and Horses showed that there was insufficient turnover at the property to provide an adequate and sustainable income for a tenant.

"The decision was thus taken to close the pub when the last licensee advised they were wishing to terminate their agreement. The pub ceased trading in July 2020."

The pub has been a public house serving the community and surrounding area since 1744.

In response to the planning application, there were over 400 objections from residents submitted to Cheshire East.

The comments highlighted that the local community had made various attempts to speak to the brewery about viable options to keep the pub going as a community hub.

However, according to several objectors, those efforts had been either "ignored or rejected".