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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Cara Simmonds, 24 July 2025.
Villagers launch campaign to save The Black Horse in Tumblefield Road, Stansted.
Residents are campaigning to buy and preserve the history of a
much-loved pub, which is now the “last one standing”.
The Black Horse in Tumblefield Road, Stansted, was once a thriving
village boozer but has been closed for more than nine months.
A "pop-up pub" night with villagers from Stansted, who want to save
The Black Horse. Picture: Anna Epps.
Resident Tom Sheldon says his parents moved to the village in 1954.
“When you've got the privilege of living in this area, you realise
the value of community,” the 72-year-old explained.
“You lose the village shop, then the pub and perhaps the school –
it's like you are ripping the heart out of it.
“It's happening all over the place, isn't it? I think this is why we
feel so passionate about it."
The two-acre site is understood to have been a pub from 1833 and was
once owned by the Fremlin family, who later became the Maidstone
brewers.
The establishment in Tumblefield Road has been shut since October.
It was said to have been a fairly successful business; however,
following Covid and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the building
closed to the public in October last year.
At one stage, it had B&B rooms on the second floor, as well as a
manager’s annexe. On the ground floor was a small restaurant that
seated around 30 to 40 covers.
Anna Epps lives along from the pub and has been a part of the
village for the last 13 years.
The 41-year-old said: “I think the shared feeling was sadness, that
there isn't that hub or community anymore.
“We've got the village hall, but it’s not open all the time. The pub
is a place where people can congregate. We've lost it and there
hasn't been a replacement.”
Tom Sheldon and Anna Epps are part of the Stansted and Fairseat
Community Group.
Four other remaining drinking spots in the area – including the
"Vigo
Inn," "Horse & Groom,"
"Anchor & Hope" and The
"Green Man" – have also
closed down. Plans have been approved to replace the latter with a
new pub following it’s destruction in a blaze back in 2021.
Tom believes The Black Horse is the “last one standing”.
Both residents make up the Stansted and Fairseat Community Group (SFCG),
a committee of ten members aiming to become a Community Benefit
Society (CBS).
It is a type of not-for-profit business model that is registered
with the Financial Conduct Authority. You can apply for grants to
buy a local asset and allow people to own a share.
The "Harrow" at Stockbury is a successful example of a community-run
pub.
Residents first got together in 2016, when Shepherd Neame announced
it wanted to dispose of the site, with the likelihood it would be
turned into housing.
The village formed a CBS and sold shares to raise enough money, with
the help of a small mortgage, to buy the pub from the brewers.
In November, the Stansted Parish Council held a public meeting and
was seeking volunteers who would be willing to save the
establishment.
Since then, they have met monthly to discuss what steps they should
take. At a recent “pop-up pub” event, more than 150 people attended.
An additional 100 signs and banners have been put up across Stansted
and the surrounding villages – aiming to send a clear message to any
potential developers.
Campaign signs have been put up outside homes to try and deter developers.
Anna added: “We want to actively campaign to protect The Black Horse
as a fully functioning food-led pub.
“This would allow us to keep the landmarks in our village for the
next generation. I think that's really important.”
In the daytime, they would want it to become a café – offering
coffee, tea and refreshments to walkers and cyclists who use the
footpaths and cycling routes.
It will also be a social hub and would be home to several clubs and
societies if needed.
Tom, a retired charter surveyor, admitted running a pub “isn’t for
the faint-hearted”.
Owners of the pub say the venue hasn’t been profitable “for some
time”, with rising energy bills and staff wages to blame. However,
they are open to offers from the community.
Anna believes her team have done their research and have pulled a
business plan together.
“As a CBS, we're not in it to make loads of money,” she explained.
“That takes the pressure off a bit.
“We just need to break even – a small profit each year that we can
reinvest back into the building.
“We're very confident that we could run it in that way. Of course
it's hard. Even running a profitable pub as a private individual is
tough. You need a good reputation.”
In January, the group managed to secure Asset of Community Value
(ACV) status for both the pub and the surrounding land.
This means residents will be informed if it goes on the market
within a five-year listing period.
They can then enact the “community right to bid”, which gives them
six months to determine if they can raise funds to purchase the
asset.
The pub is currently owned by Danny Jarvis and Victoria Collier,
with the committee reiterating that they’d like to maintain an “open
and constructive dialogue” with them.
The group is aiming to buy the pub through the set-up of a Community
Benefit Society.
“The owner does not have to sell to us, but we would love them to,”
Anna said.
“We've been communicating back and forth. We have put an offer in
for the pub that has been rejected.
“We're seeking to pay a fair price for the freehold in line with its
market value."
According to The Move Market, the site sold in 2022 for £495,000,
with the average price of a property along the road being £702,000.
Tom Tugendhat (Con), MP for Tonbridge, said: “Villages like Stansted
need a thriving pub at its heart, which The Black Horse has been for
many decades. I am incredibly sad it is no longer operating as a
pub, and urge the owners to engage with the community over its
long-term future.
“I look forward to continuing to work with the village to help save
such an important pub.”
Owner Victoria told KentOnline they sadly had to close due to
“financial difficulties”.
She said: “I bought it in 2022 after selling my family home,
relocating my family to Stansted with the hope of creating a
sustainable business and building a future here for my children.
“Unfortunately, the pub hadn’t been profitable for some time, but I
put everything into trying to turn it around.
“I kept on all existing staff – including the cleaner who had worked
for two previous landlords – and retained the lunchtime team for as
long as possible.
“When I could no longer afford to keep that role, I offered evening
shifts instead, which were declined.
“I made every effort to support the local community: I donated beer
and vouchers for village events, hosted monthly charity quiz nights
with free food and drink for the organiser, even though he didn’t
support the pub outside of this event and I regularly paid a local
band to play.
“As a result of the closure, I am now in substantial debt and need
to recover my investment in order to secure a home for my family”
“We ran live music nights, locals’ discounts, weekend breakfasts,
curry nights, steak deals and more to generate interest.”
But despite these efforts she says the level of support “simply
wasn’t enough”.
Rising energy bills, staff wages and the National Insurance hike
have also made the situation unsustainable.
“As a result of the closure, I am now in substantial debt and need
to recover my investment in order to secure a home for my family,”
Victoria added.
“Unfortunately an offer received by the community was unacceptable.
“Plans are being submitted for a smaller, more manageable pub as
part of a wider development. If there is genuine interest from the
community, they are of course welcome to put forward an offer.
“With over seven pubs closing every week in the UK, it would be a
shame for this one to be lost too – but I also have to do what’s
right for my family’s future.”
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