The Banbury Guardian’s online pages recently published an article entitled  “Bloxham Pub Landlords thwarted in bid to buy derelict pub.”
Our own understanding is as follows. (If we’re wrong doubtless people will use the comment section to tell us so!)

The pub and its garden, are highly valued by the local community. Consequently when it appeared Fullers might be seeking to sell it to potential developers residents ensured it was registered as an asset of community value (ACV.)
Under this ACV it is possible to prohibit sale, other than to the local community. This prohibition happened and  was renewed for six months starting from July 2015.     It subsequently became public knowledge that the landlords of The Joiners pub, Mark and Sandra Page, would like to purchase it for use as a pub-restaurant.

The local Red-Lion committee has been attempting to purchase the pub from Fullers at its pub value – rather than its value as a piece of development land. They are not minded to do anything to obstruct Mark and Sandra’s attempt to buy the pub for use as a pub-restaurant but have contacted those residents who pledged support for a community purchase to check that this is also their prevailing view. (We would guess that it will be subject to a guarantee to protect the main garden area from development.)

The prohibition on sale remains in place until late January 2016. It does not, of course, follow that Fullers will accept Mark and Sandra’s offer!
So – the sequencing of events – in terms of :

• Fullers agreeing a sale to Mark and Sandra;
• The village agreeing NOT to renew sale prohibition and
• Those who have pledged money towards purchase of the Red Lion as a community hub getting their money back.

remains interesting!