Village locals campaign to “Keep The Foresters Open!”

Hundreds of villagers in East Hoathly have come together to save their local pub, The Foresters Arms, after it was closed down to make way for a housing development.

Pub owners Harvey’s Brewery cited falling profits and a lack of tenant interest for the pub’s sudden closure but a ‘Keep The Foresters Open’ campaign group quickly formed to challenge the decision.

With more than four hundred members joining forces on Facebook, the campaign group are hoping to re-open the venue ahead of the village’s famous Bonfire Night celebrations.

“The Foresters has always served as East Hoathly Carnival Society’s headquarters,” says Chairman, Tim Laker. “Every year, the society hosts the village bonfire, and thousands flock to the village. There’s a serious risk that they’ll arrive this November to find one of our key pubs has shut up shop for good.”

Campaigners argue that The Foresters has become an indispensable pillar of the local community over its century-long history. It hosts informal meetings for many of the village’s societies, including a darts club, book club, and the village preservation society as well as gatherings after events at the nearby village Church and village hall.

Michael Evans, Chairman of ‘Keep The Foresters Open’, said that there are also more practical benefits to keeping the pub open: “The Foresters has always had a lot to offer for villagers. It’s the only food & drink venue in the village with wheelchair access for its pub and garden, and there’s a large disabled toilet with baby changing facilities which other pubs do not have. For a number of residents, particularly those linked with the Lydfords Care Home, losing the pub means losing a place where they can enjoy downtime with family and friends.”

For campaigners, the battle doesn’t end with last week’s protest. Michael continued: “Ideally, we want Harvey’s to recognise that The Foresters is indispensable. There’s no point building more houses if villagers are cut off from one another. East Hoathly is a friendly community, and we’d like the pub to be offered to other buyers who will help us protect it for future generations.”

The ‘Keep The Foresters Open’ campaign group will hold a public meeting at East Hoathly Village Hall on Thursday 5 October at 19:30. To keep up with the campaign, visit the ‘Keep The Foresters Open’ Facebook group.

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