Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers has welcomed the news that the Prince of Wales pub in East Barnet has been bought by a new owner and will re-open.
Widespread concern had greeted the decision by the Stonegate Group to shut the pub. At the invitation of the East Barnet Residents Association (EBRA), around 60 people gathered outside the pub on 16th January to protest about the closure and show support for keeping this important local facility.
Theresa contacted Stonegate to urge them to save the pub, or sell it on to someone who would. She also backed the application by EBRA to ask Barnet Council to designate the pub as an “Asset of Community Value”. That application was successful.
On Friday evening, news broke that the pub had been bought by a company called Heartwood Collection. They announced that they would re-open the pub after undertaking a multi-million pound refurbishment.
Welcoming the news, Theresa said “It is great that the resident-led campaign to save the Prince of Wales pub has succeeded. There has been a pub on this site since 1876 and losing it would have been a real blow to East Barnet. It is a relief that a new owner has stepped in and wants to renovate and re-open the Prince of Wales.”
“I pay tribute to the work done by the East Barnet Residents Association to make the case for keeping the Prince of Wales as an integral part of the town centre in East Barnet. I enthusiastically backed their campaign."
"Now it will be important for the new owners Heartwood to engage with residents to ensure that their plans for the pub are in tune with what local residents want.”
Digital imprint: Promoted by Theresa Villiers MP of 163 High Street, Barnet, EN5 5SU.
