The Oddfellows Arms pub in Higham on the Hill. The 250 year old pub stands in the middle of the village and may be demolished and a housing development built. The pub known as the oddies is trying to be saved by locals hoping to turn it into a community centre.
Campaigners are trying to stop developers calling time on a historic village pub - by offering locals a chance to buy a share in it. Campaign group Save The Oddies Pub (STOP) has been battling to save The Oddfellows Arms pub in Higham-on-the-Hill, near Hinckley, for two years. The 250 year-old pub is at risk of being demolished to pave the way for houses. Plans have been re-submitted to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council to demolish The Oddies, built in 1799, and build up to 25 homes on the site. Campaigners have been working with the Plunkett Organisation to set up a Community Benefit Society (CBS) and are inviting people to sign up to a pledge to buy shares to buy the pub. David Wilkinson, Chair of STOP, said: "Once it’s gone, it is gone forever. The Oddfellows has been a fundamental part of the lives of many families in the village for generations. “It’s quite literally been at the heart of the village community for 200 years. Community ownership will ensure that we keep that crucial hub for future generations." This is the second application to be submitted for the site and STOP members claim its loss would have a huge impact. Emily Davis, who grew up in the village, said: "The Oddfellows Arms has been the hub of the community for many years, it is where friendships were formed and people came together. "This is even more apparent in these times; the residents of the village have become isolated from each other. "Losing this village asset and its only community space will have a detrimental effect on the residents especially as the community recovers from the Covid pandemic.”
Size: 4963px × 3309px
Location: Higham on the Hill, Leicestershire, England, UK
Photo credit: © David Warren / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 250, 1799, arms, benefit, community, demolition, derelict, facing, higham, hill, historic, leicestershire, loss, oddfellows, oddies, pub, pubs, society, village, year
