Regulars fear for future of Bell as pub goes up for sale
One of Bath's most distinctive pubs is being put up for sale by its owner of 23 years.
Now regulars at the Bell Inn in Walcot Street are being urged to consider buying the pub, which is on the market for £925,000, themselves.
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Owner Ian Wood says his heart is no longer in running the Bell, but he says he will not sell "the best pub in the world" to someone who will run it in a "soulless corporate way".
The Bell developed out of an 18th-century coaching inn and has a regional reputation for its real ales, live music and independent spirit.
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Staff were told by Mr Wood last week that he was selling up, and in a message on Facebook, he said: "I am very proud of the eclectic team of people who make this pub so special. There is such a great feeling of community and such humour, I will really miss the place, it is by far the best pub in the world. It is an institution, thank you all for making it so special.
"Owning a pub like this has been the fulfilment of a dream, but this dream I was having many years ago. I now have new dreams and a new direction, and my heart is not in it any more."
This week, he posted a second message in a bid to reassure customers worried that the pub's unique character could be threatened.
He said there had been a lot of interest from "sympathetic people" and pledged: "I'm not going to sell up to someone I believe is going to run the pub in that soulless corporate way we know sucks, but having said that when I have sold up it is out of my hands."
He added one option was for the customers to buy it, with a limited company owning the freehold, shares sold and a salaried director to run the pub.
"That all sounds easy but it would really need someone with some energy and balls to stand up and to organise it. Someone with the skills needed for herding cats would be good, it would be quite an achievement."
The three-storey pub is being marketed by city firm James A Baker, which says it expects "significant interest".
A spokesman said: "The Bell Inn offers a rare and exciting opportunity to purchase a popular freehold pub in the centre of Bath."
Meanwhile, another city pub is under new management.
The New Westhall in Upper Bristol Road has been taken over by Banwell House, which also owns pubs in Trowbridge, Chapsmanlade and Holcombe, and manages two others.
It has been rebranded as the Victoria Pub and Kitchen and will reopen next Friday.
Banwell House boss Toby Brett said: "The New Westhall is a great-sized site in a great location. It just needed to direct itself towards the target demographic of the area."
The bar has been moved and a "theatre kitchen" installed, allowing customers to see their food being prepared.
Mr Brett said he was aware that other pubs in the city had the name Victoria in their titles but still felt it was the right choice.
Comments
by symbiot
Wednesday, November 28 2012, 3:50PM
“£930000 is a massive price for thec last of the old-style pubs with soul. If we want to keep it as it is, we'll need to work hard, otherwise it could end up as a Tesco or a name restaurant. Can you imagine Gordon Ramsey or Jamie Oliver in Walcot? Look what has happened to the Packhorse at Southstoke, for example.”
by DaveF_Walcot
Thursday, November 22 2012, 10:45PM
“"Food just spoils a good pint or 6"
Indeed. Eating is cheating.”
by jezer
Thursday, November 22 2012, 10:38PM
“The Bell used go be on the circuit when we went on a Bath tour. Not any more though, the price of a pint in a pub these days is beyond a joke.”
by Imp-Act
Thursday, November 22 2012, 10:37PM
“I had some really great times in the Bell! I most say though that these new fancy scoffing joints are NOT pubs. If I wanted to eat out I'd go to a restaurant. Food just spoils a good pint or 6 AND it makes a lot of people vomit like a comit!”
by TeabagTerry
Thursday, November 22 2012, 9:16PM
“Well said BV_BV, but I fear that many pubs have been forced to turn "gastro" to keep themselves afloat. Stopping the beer duty escalator and allowing a number of pubs to be granted a smoking licence might help to stop the rot, although it's probably too late.”
by BV_BV
Thursday, November 22 2012, 3:02PM
“Other pubs should learn a lesson from the comments being being posted about The Bell. Gastro pubs may have their place but a lot of people want a pub where they can let their hair down and enjoy themselves. A real pub with character and characters
The Bell is dead. Long live the Bell”
by TeabagTerry
Thursday, November 22 2012, 2:43PM
“Is someone really going to pay £925k for a dilapidated crumbling building, just because they love it's "bohemian" reputation?”
by DaveF_Walcot
Thursday, November 22 2012, 2:16PM
“So that's three Victoria* pubs in the same vicinity. You'd have thought they could have come up with something original. I mean, what's wrong with The Gas 'n' Garbage for a 'middle class' gastro' pub?”