Echo reports site visit! Balloons lift protesters’ pub demo to a new level!

Story in today's Echo, by Laura Wright.

"A PROTEST group made sure that a council planning committee had plenty to see when they made a site visit to a threatened pub.
Plans have gone before Cardiff council to replace the Pantmawr Inn, in Pantmawr, Cardiff, with flats. But residents have fought the plans from the outset and even set up a naked protest to make sure they were noticed.
This time round, up to 300 people turned up at the pub for the planning committee site visit to show their objections with visual aids yesterday.
About 40 helium balloons demonstrated the height and area of the flats and several signs around the area pointed towards the community’s protest.
Rachel Thomas, of the Pantmawr Action Group, said: “The balloons were very useful because it’s hard to imagine how tall a building is going to be and its effect on the area. Our signs showed how close the flats would be to houses and that the pub is used as a community facility.
“Children play on the grass outside the pub and, if that goes, the nearest park is two and a half kilometres away.
“We’re very pleased with the turnout especially with the sleet, hail and rain.”"

The Welsh Assembly Government is considering plans to support the Prince Charles-backed scheme that helps regenerate rural pubs.

The Welsh Assembly Government is considering plans to support the Prince Charles-backed scheme that helps regenerate rural pubs. Pub is the Hub has submitted a draft plan to the Assembly suggesting how it can help pubs diversify and offer new income streams.
This follows a year-long study by a 17-strong regional Pub is the Hub advisory group, chaired by SA Brains chief executive Scott Waddington.
It includes other pub company bosses and Elin Jones, Welsh Minister for Rural Affairs.
The draft plan, Rural Pubs and Services Strategy for Wales, suggests how different projects should be supported in different Welsh regions.
It urges against pubs being hit by big business rate hikes for adding vital new services.
The ultimate aim is to secure funding from the Welsh Assembly, mirroring action by regional development agencies in England.
Pub is the Hub co-ordinator John Longden (pictured) said: “They’ve tapped into our five years of experience with Pub is the Hub and asked how we can help in Wales.
“We will sit down with the Welsh Assembly Government and hopefully move forward with projects that suit the various locations across Wales.”
Post Office closures
A Welsh Assembly spokesman confirmed the development.
“The Welsh Assembly Government is already looking at the Pub is the Hub initiative,” he said.
“We welcome any proposals that help keep our communities alive and vibrant.”
Last week Welsh Assembly member Nick Bourne called for Pub is the Hub to be active in response to the closure of rural post offices.
He told the Assembly: “Our post offices and other local services are facing extinction. The country pub is disappearing as well in many areas.
“We have a great opportunity here. Not only will this secure the future of essential services in our communities, it will bring together many sections of society.”

PAG hits the headlines again!

Help us to keep our community

HOW daft can council officers be? Planning policy suggests that communities should be encouraged and amenities provided. Yet our council is about to deprive more than 1,000 Pantmawr residents of their amenity by allowing a development of more houses and flats and therefore more residents on the site of the Pantmawr Inn. We have a thriving community spirit with many activities centred on the pub and its environs, but if it is built over, we will have nowhere to go, our community spirit will be lost.

Surely this goes against local authority and Government guidelines and initiatives? We have always been a neglected part of north Cardiff. The roads are narrow and in a terrible state.

We have problems with drains and water pressure, bus services are infrequent and we have no other amenities, but what makes it worthwhile is knowing and meeting lots of friendly people. How will this be possible without a venue, our village pub?

We have sent in a petition with more than 1,000 signatures and more than 100 objection letters to show the many problems with this development, all of which seem to have been ignored.

Also, do we really need more flats in Cardiff?

Come on councillors, don't take our community centre away from us, throw this outrageous, carbuncle of a development out and help us to keep our community together.

Pantmawr resident

Latest survey comments

If you've signed the survey online there's an opportunity to comment - here's the latest!

• preserve real Wales!
• Pubs are an important part of a community, especially in view of all the other social amenities which are being eroded. Once gone, they will never come back so this is the only chance we have to save this precious place
• I wonder how many M.P's, Planning Officers, Councillors, etc would accept this ridiculous planning application, if it was in their back yard. We have nothing on Pantmawr other than the 'pub', take this away and we have literally nothing and no where to meet. I am a 41 year resident on this estate. This estate is no place for a concrete jungle - stop it once and for all.
• It sickens me how developers miss what a neighbourhood, village means to a community. I hope that I will be included in the petition against this developement. I spent many comfortable times sitting in your pub with wonderful friends enjoying great atmosphere, laughter and delicious food. People watching is a lot of fun aand this is a neighbourhood pub. This lovely old pub brings people together and when visitors from else where arrive "here's a bit of comfort" . I wish luck and look forward to my next visit to the neighbourhood pub.
• remove the local pub and or other amenities ie. local pub, corner shop, post office, and you will lose the community. if YOU lose the community spirit you lose the pride and care that people have for their area. STANDARDS FALL and suddenly you have a run down or scruffy problem area. your community spirit is your PRIDE
• I had my leaving party here before working abroad for 2 years, it better be there when I get back. Total disregard for quality of life, just say "NO".
• There have been so many historic buildings demolished in Cardiff over the years that we MUST now retain what we have left, including the Pantmawr. I wish you well in your campaign

If you haven't signed yet, return to out homepage and the online survey link is in the top left corner of the main page :)

Julie Morgan MP supports campaign!

Julie Morgan MP has visited the Pantmawr site with our Chairman and comments in a letter to him: "I think the setting of the Inn is idyllic and there is enormous scope for developing the outbuildings as a community resource. In terms of the revised planning application I found the visit and your observations very helpful indeed. I have written to the local authority and opposed the revised application."

Pantmawr Inn Acton Group successful first meeting

Pantmawr Inn Acton Group successful first meeting

Hugh Payne, of Caer Wenalt, Pantmawr addressed a packed Pantmawr Inn full of enthusiastic people who want to join the Pantmawr Inn Action Group!

He explained that the idea is to form a nucleus of people to work together to lead the opposition to the proposal of Charles Church and Mitchell and Butler for 36 flats.
For more information

We have already started a petition.

We want you to write to the planning department and the planning committee.

Those who are affected by the development can write about this.
Are you overlooked?
Are you concerned

about the drainage or the mains water pressure?

Is there going to be an increase in noise and disturbance?

Have you worries about the increase in traffic flow?

The Pantmawr is the only community facility in the area.

How will this loss of amenity and recreation and leisure facility affect you?

Are you a regular?

Say how you use the pub even if that is only occasionally?

Did you used to come to the Pantmawr Inn to eat?

Did you attend events at the pub?

Did you have Christmas dinner with you friends?

Does your group meet here, e.g. the residents association?

Will your quality of life and the environment of your neigbourhood be affected? People on the estate will not be able to maintain and strengthen pride in their community.

A committee was organised and it plans to meet again on Thursday at the Pantmawr Inn at 7.30.

Contact your councillor and the planning committee