Is the hammer about to come down on the Pevensey Bay readership of the Eastbourne Herald?
Discussion this week in Pevensey Bay continues to focus on the proposed sale by auction of the Beach Tavern at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Brighton on 15 December.
With the forced closure of Pevensey Bay Library past the 11 month point and particulars for the proposed sale of the Beach Tavern including the possibility that the building, as described by auctioneers, Clive Emson, “may be suitable for a supermarket chain or similar commercial space, subject to all necessary consents being obtainable”, inevitably there is significant interest in what is to become of the public house .
In some ways, as a result of the location, history and character of the place, the building is regarded as being at the heart of the community.
Dianne Dear, who is a district councillor and the publisher of Bay Life, said (21 November), on hearing the news of a proposed sale by auction on December 15, “I’m concerned about who will buy especially as a big supermarket chain could take over and ruin Pevensey Bay”.
Concerned local resident, Margaret Martin has pointed to new legislation regarding “Community Right to Buy”. Talking about the issue of the closure of Pevensey Bay Library in January 2015 she said, “interestingly, I have been advised that the Localism Act 2011 provides communities with the Community Right to Bid for an Asset of Community Value.
“Apparently this law requires local authorities to keep a list of such assets when a community organisation nominates eligible land or buildings. As long as the nomination process was undertaken correctly (i.e. came from an eligible community group on an eligible building), then the local authority must include the asset on its list where it has to remain for at least 5 years”.
She added (with reference to potential use of the building as a library), “bearing in mind that a building is considered an Asset of Community Value if its main use has recently been or is presently used to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community and could do so in the future, then surely this could be relevant to provision of a new library/community facility in Pevensey Bay. This new legal right gives communities a period of time to raise the funds needed to acquire a building before it is sold on the open market by the owner”.
Residents and businesses are expressing concern about the proposed sale.
None of this concern was apparent in the article published by the Eastbourne Herald today (27 November).
The proposed sale appears on the cover of the newspaper with a picture of the Beach Tavern and the words ‘Local pub coming under the hammer’.
The article about the sale of the public house could be described as a pathetic excuse of a story masquerading as an advert for auctioneers, Clive Emson.
After the description of the proposed sale, three paragraphs are devoted to the views of Director and Senior Auction Valuer Sam Kinloch who is quoted as saying, “Previously let to provide a good income, The Beach Tavern, now in need of some refurbishment and redecoration, is considered ideal for owner-occupation or could again be let to provide a good income.
“Alternatively, the site could be redeveloped to provide residential accommodation or a supermarket or other commercial use, subject to the necessary consents being obtained.”
We then move on to another three paragraphs, this time quoting his interesting views about the market for properties in Sussex and Surrey. Mr Kinloch adds, “no one can argue that the market isn’t truly buoyant. November alone saw Sussex and Surrey sales of more than £4.3 million with total sales this year exceeding £22 million and an overall success rate of 88 per cent.
“During 2015 we have maintained our well above national average sales statistics and increased our market share in an increasingly competitive arena.”
Apparently daunted by the possibility of writing something relevant to the community of Pevensey Bay with regard to the sale, the Eastbourhe Herald then goes on to tell us yet more about the interesting works undertaken by auctioneers, Clive Emson.
“Clive Emson Auctioneers, an independent company, holds eight rounds of auctions at five locations from Essex to Cornwall on consecutive days every six weeks, this time with a total of 125 lots.
Starting at 11am, the eighth of Clive Emson’s regional Sussex and Surrey auctions in 2015 takes place at the Brighton Metropole on December 15.
Well all this information about the work of the auctioneers from Cornwall to Essex is very useful to know, is it not? Perhaps Johnson Press would like to tell us what this information is doing forming the body of this story about the proposed sale of the Beach Tavern which is now the cause of so much concern locally.
Nobody can doubt from reading the article that the work of Clive Emson autioneers is exemplary from Cornwall to Essex, but is this article the place to extol their virtues?
Is the Eastbourne Herald a newspaper or advertorial? Would someone at the newspaper like to explain the purpose of this article? If it is to promote the auctioneers, then perhaps it would be more appropriate to explain that it is advertorial of some description.
It is not the first time this year that the newspaper has been caught out wrapping itself in glory. Days before the General Election in May, the cover of the newspaper looked like an editorial suggesting that people might like to vote Conservative. The ‘disguised feature’ called into question the independence of the newspaper.
The week after the election (12 May) David Sharman, writing for Hold the Front Page, the authoritative guide to what is happening in the regional press all over the country said, “two newspapers which carried four-page wraparound ads for the Conservative Party in the week before the general election are to review their ad policies following public criticism of the move.
“The Eastbourne Herald and Hastings & St Leonards Observer are promising to carry out a “full review” on whether to accept such wraps in future, particularly from political parties, after comments from readers on social media.
“Gary Shipton, editor-in-chief of the two Johnston Press weeklies, announced the review in a statement published on their respective websites.
“The same wrap also appeared in a number of other regional papers in the days leading up to Thursday’s poll, with more than 1,200 campaigners calling on the Observer to apologise for “prostituting” its front page.
Gary Shipton on behalf of Johnson Press said at the time (12 May), “It is clear from the comments we have received that some people feel that this type of advertisement, presented as it was by the Conservative Party in an editorial style, gave the impression that the newspaper supported the party.
“That could not be further from the truth. We are proudly and fiercely politically independent.
“Our only concern is to champion this community and all its residents and workers irrespective of their political outlook. We very much regret it if some readers were given the impression that our neutrality has been compromised.
In this case the story about the concern of residents in Pevensey Bay about what is to become of one of the focal points for the community has been lost.
Championing the community? Is it reasonable to suggest that the story is largely comprised of advertorial on behalf of the auctioneers? Where is any view expressed about what residents in Pevensey Bay may have to say about the proposed sale, which is clearly of concern to many people that live in the community?
Buried deep on page 60 of the newspaper we are much more Down Our Way.
Robert Slater the community correspondent for Pevensey Bay with the Eastbourne Herald, says, “The recently closed Beach Tavern has now been put up for sale and will be auctioned at Clive Emerson Auctions in Brighton on December 15. It’s being sold as Vacant Freehold for a guide price of £350k plus. The catalogue suggests it could be re let, converted into residential and more worryingly ‘may be suitable for a Supermarket Chain or similar commercial space’. A suggestion which must worry residents and businesses in Pevensey Bay”.
The Eastbourne Herald has won plaudits for community coverage. A number of useful community features and a roster of writers have appeared in the pages weekly talking about local issues. The newspaper has also won praise for features about local history, the local arts and cultural events.
Whilst the paper has never been in the running for any awards with regard to stories about local social and economic issues, nonetheless this story takes the biscuit.
Is it reasonable to expect that we should be seeing in an article about the most important commercial sale to come up in the Bay for some time, something more than an advert for the auctioneers?
Whilst the date of the auction (December 15) approaches, concern is continuing to grow amongst local residents and businesses about what will happen.
Simon Montgomery
editor, Bay Life
If you live locally and would like to comment on the proposed sale of the Beach Tavern,
