| 28th Mar 2011 | Current owners bought the Angel from Enterprise Inns. According to the Land Registry title deeds the purchase price was £258,000 plus £46,440 VAT. After refurbishment the pub is re-opened with the owners as publicans. |
| 23rd Jan 2013 | Angel had been closed since 1st Jan. Notification made that on the weekend of 26th and 27th Jan there would be a clearance sale, all stock, crockery, glasses, tables, chairs, lights, pictures, garden furniture etc would be sold. The reason given was that the owners were not able to make the pub commercially successful and the closure would be permanent. |
| Feb 2013 | Due to the closure, concerned residents of the village met at the Debenham Leisure Centre to discuss the issue and as a result formed the Save The Angel (STA) Group. |
| Feb to Apr 2013 | In a reaction to the anger expressed by many village residents to the pub closure, the owners propose a solution. They will partition off half the building and the pub garden. The bar is moved to the front small room and the cellar moved to being under the stairs. Despite the reduction in possible covers the owners think that the reduced size will lower overheads sufficiently to allow the pub to be profitable. |
| Apr 2013 | With the left side and pub garden partitioned off. The right side is re-opened with Pat Hercus as landlady and on her retirement, Penny Warman takes over. Both are experienced publicans and, despite issues with the size of the cellar, less attractive layout, lack of a garden and smaller dining area, are able to make a living, employ staff and pay the owners rent. |
| June 2014 | Questionnaire to gauge opinions of the village posted to every house. 228 responses with over 97% expressing concern with the future of the Angel and 94.7% objecting to reducing the size and loosing the garden. |
| 4th Aug 2014 | 1st Planning application 2494/14 & 2475/14. Partial change of use, reinstatement of former 2 storey rear wing and further extensions to rear, internal alterations to public house to reinstate former separate dwelling at The Angel whilst retaining the public house in a reduced form as a community facility. Decision never formally made due to the applicants making an appeal due to Failure to Determine in Timescale. |
| 8th Sep 2014 | 21 villagers sign a nomination form to make the Angel Inn an Asset of Community Value |
| 3rd Oct 2014 | MSDC accepts the nomination of the Angel Inn (the entire building including the car park and garden) as an Asset of Community Value. |
| 5th Nov 2014 | Despite the Appeal, MSDC planning department publishes its report recommending refusal of 1st planning application |
| 6th Feb 2015 | Planning Inspectorate dismisses the 1st Planning Application appeal |
| 9th July 2015 | 2nd Planning Application 2424/15 & 2423/15. Revised Scheme to that submitted ref. 2494/14 & 2475/14 – Partial change of use, first floor extension to re-instate former 2 storey rear wing, internal alterations to public house to reinstate former separate dwelling at The Angel whilst retaining the public house as a community facility. Application withdrawn. |
| 14th Dec 2015 | 3rd Planning Application 4374/15 & 4375/15. Partial change of use, erection of first floor extension to reinstate former 2 storey rear wing, internal alterations to public house to reinstate former separate dwelling at The Angel whilst retaining the public house as a community facility (Revised scheme to that submitted under ref. 2494/14 & 2475/14). Application rejected by the community, Parish Council and MSDC Planning. Applicants appeal on the grounds that they have answered all the objections raised by the Planning Inspectorate in refusing the 1st Planning Application. |
| 14th June 2016 | Planning Inspectorate decides in favour of applicant. Planning permission granted. |
| 13th April 2017 | MSDC receives notification that the owners wish to dispose of the Angel. |
| 24th April 2017 | The Angel owners approach the STA Group about their desire to sell. At this time the owners were undecided about whether to sell the whole building as one lot or as two separate lots. If a single lot there was an indicative price of £545,000. The owners admitted that this price would be deemed somewhat high but justified it “due to the profitability of the pub, the potential value of the development once completed and the building’s location”. |
| 4th May 2017 | Following several email exchanges with STA Group, the owners provide no further details on the planned sale and inform the Group that they should contact the Agents for more details once they are appointed. NO agents are appointed and so the STA Group are unable to take further action. |
| 20th Mar 2018 | 4th Planning Application DC/18/01211 & DC/18/01212. Extension to 3rd Planning Application which was approved at appeal and is to convert existing attached modern garage into additional single storey living accommodation. Planning granted by MSDC. |
| May 2018 | Angel up for sale with Fennel for £385,000. Rental return on capital quoted as 10%, but if owner occupied then 20% |
| 5th Nov 2018 | Angel Landlady Penny Warman receives notice that a potential new owner will not require her services and so is given notice to leave the building on or by the morning of 7th December 2018. Penny makes the necessary arrangements and cancels any Xmas meal bookings. The purchase fails to materialise, and Penny is asked to stay on as Landlady. |
| April 2019 | Failure to reach agreement on a new lease results in the Angel closing having been commercially successful since April 2013 (6 years). No apparent efforts made to find a new tenant. |
| April 2019 | Angel up for sale with Everard Cole for £375,000. |
| 3rd May 2019 | Fleurets report for Debenham Parish Council values the Angel at £270,000. |
| 3rd Oct 2019 | ACV nomination made on 3rd Oct 2014 expires. |
| 29th Oct 2019 | Save the Angel group make offer of £270,000 plus VAT to purchase the Angel. This offer was based on the valuation given in Fleurets report of 3rd May 2019. |
| 6th Dec 2019 | Owners made a counteroffer of £305,000 but with conditions, one of which required confidentiality which would make public fund raising impossible. |
| 8th Dec 2020 | 5th Planning Application DC/20/05595 & DC/20/05596. Change of Use of mixed C3/Sui Generis drinking establishment use to mixed C3/Class E and replacement of C20 rear extension. 131 objections, 0 support from community, opposed by Parish Council, refusal recommended by MSDC Planning Committee. Applicants appeal on grounds of Failure to Determine in Timescale. |
| 11th Feb 2022 | 5th Planning Application Appeal Decision – Appeal dismissed. |
| 14th Feb 2021 | Following 3-way discussions between STA, MSDC and the vendor’s agents, STA inform the vendors directly that they are now in a position to actively start fund raising. The vendors reply stating the Angel is not for sale and to refrain from further communication otherwise legal advice about harassment will be sought. |
| 16th Feb 2021 | Angel listed by MSDC as ACV. Expiry 15th Feb 2026 |
| 3rd June 2021 | Left side of Angel (5a High Street) sold for £675,000 |
| Latest Campaign |
| 4th Oct 2022 | MSDC receives Owner’s intention to dispose of the Angel |
| 8th Oct 2022 | Dormant Save the Angel group informed of intention to dispose of the Angel |
| 11th Oct 2022 | STA representatives had a virtual meeting with Simon Lanning, Communities Officer for MSDC. Told that owners despite registering intention to sell are under no obligation to actually take steps to achieve this i.e. do not have to engage agents and advertise. Information received that the owner’s agents will be inspecting the pub next week to value and draw up sale particulars. |
| 17th Oct 2022 | STA representatives address Debenham PC seeking their support and, as the PC is a body eligible to submit an Expression of Interest to Bid, are requested to do so. The PC voted in favour. |
| 3rd Nov 2022 | Sale agents (Sidney Phillips) contacted but had not yet been officially engaged so no details of sale, including asking price, available. This being 4 weeks into the 6 week interim moratorium period. |
| 8th Nov 2022 | Sale particulars on agent’s website with asking price of £270,000. Pub described as being lively and popular. MSDC receives Expression of Interest to Bid from Debenham PC. |
| 8th Nov – 25th Nov | Various correspondence to previous supporters of STA to enlist volunteers to set up a community buyout steering committee. |
| 15th Nov 2022 | 6 week interim ACV moratorium period expires |
| 1st Dec 2022 | 1st meeting of the steering group. Monthly meetings held thereafter. |
| 19th Jan 2023 | Questionnaire to gauge community opinion of the future of the Angel posted online, information leaflets printed and distributed to all houses in village. |
| 21st Jan 2023 | 4 members of the steering group are allowed a 20min viewing of the Angel then rather brusquely asked to leave. Poor state and presentation of the building confirms that a building survey as a minimum will be required to calculate the total cost of buying and re-opening the Angel. Feedback including various questions sent to agents Sidney Phillips. |
| 16th Feb 2023 | Become members of the Plunkett Foundation |
| 20th Feb 2023 | Debenham Parish Council support the Save the Angel efforts by voting to provide a grant to cover the costs of a building and valuation survey. |
| 27th Feb 2023 | Informed by agents that vendors will not answer any of the questions asked in the viewing feedback until they have evidence that the group has sufficient funds to meet the purchase price. |
| 28th Feb 2023 | Questionnaire closes. Results 313 responses, 301 supporting Angel being saved for community use. |
| 4th April 2023 | 6-month ACV moratorium ends |
| 1st May 2023 | Request access to property for a building survey. Request denied stating that access will be granted once funds to purchase have been raised. |
| 15th May 2023 | Debenham Angel Community Limited registered with the FCA. Registration No 9065 |
| 15th May 2023 | DACL make another request for access to perform a building survey. Are informed that the owners have given notice to the agents that the Angel should be taken off the market. However, due to a scheduled viewing, this does not happen. |
| 26th May 2023 | Meeting with Dr Dan Poulter MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich. He suggests having discussions with MSDC Chief Planning Officer, Philp Isbell to raise our concerns wrt Change of Use and ACV |
| 29th May 2023 | Confirmation received from Sidney Phillips that the Angel is no longer up for sale and the agents do not believe it has just been transferred to another company. This not quite 8 months since MSDC received notification that the owners wished to dispose of the Angel and 6 months since actual efforts to sell i.e. Sale particulars posted online, were made. |
| 20th June 2023 | DACL opens bank account with Co-op bank |
| 16th Dec 2023 | Business Plan and Share prospectus sent to Plunkett advisor for review |
| 22nd Dec 2023 | Response received from Plunkett advisor with suggested changes to both Business Plan and Share Prospectus. Various discussions with the advisor over the subsequent weeks. |
| 7th Mar 2024 | DACL submit Expression of Interest application for Community Ownership Fund. Immediate positive response with some areas needing further explanation before submitting the COF full application |
| 21st Mar 2024 | Owners of the Angel submit a Change of Use application to MSDC on 20th March. Validated the following day. |
