About the Staffordshire Knot Community Pub project
Although a once thriving venue, the Staffordshire Knot has suffered an unfortunate set of circumstances in recent years. The current, and also the most recent former owner, have both put forward a number of applications to the local planning authority with the intention of ceasing its operation as a public house and converting the building for use as a residential dwelling or holiday accommodation.
All such applications were overwhelmingly objected to by residents in the hopes of avoiding the loss of the only pub in the village.
Back in 2024, when the current owners first applied to planners, a public meeting was held to discuss the proposal. The strength of feeling from the community was such that following this meeting Sheen Parish Council lodged an application with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council seeking to register the building as an Asset of Community Value.
This application was successful and the building duly added to the register of Assets of Community Value in spring 2025. Shortly afterwards the owners expressed an interest in selling the pub and a further public meeting was held at this time.
The community discussed the possibility of buying and reopening the pub as a community enterprise and consequently a formal committee was established to lead the project. The committee’s intention to take the project forward has now been lodged with Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, thus initiating the second phase of the process and giving us six months to submit an offer to the owner (deadline 26th September 2025).
Sheen Parish Council have kindly funded membership of the Plunkett Foundation which we hope will be an extremely useful resource for us going forward. The Plunkett Foundation provide practical advice, business support and training to help communities establish and run innovative and inclusive community businesses that make a positive impact for local people.
We will be working closely with them now as we navigate the process of establishing ourselves as a formal entity, formulating a business plan and as we prepare to launch a share offer, which we hope will enable us to take this idea forward and create the chance for local people to retain their village pub and restore it to the thriving community venue that it once was – and that we are confident it can be again.
Thank you for your support and interest in our project.