The Bell at Iden Community

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The Bell at Iden Community

A not-for-profit Community Benefit Society set up to save The Bell at Iden pub for the local community

08/05/2026

We would like to provide an update on the project to restore and reopen The Bell.

John Rogers of The Globe has decided not to proceed with the project following a review of the financial commitment required and wider economic conditions.

While this is disappointing, The Bell Iden Community Limited remains fully committed to securing a sustainable future for the building as a working village pub. We will now be revisiting conversations with other potential operators as we consider the next steps.

In the meantime, the Board continues to actively manage and maintain the building, including safety improvements, security upgrades, and upkeep of the external areas.

Thank you for your continued support.

Read the full update here: https://bellatiden.com/update-on-the-bell/

27/04/2026

A reminder that the planning applications relating to The Bell remain open for public comment.

The applications (references RR/2026/0195/LBC and RR/2026/0194/FULL) are currently being considered by Rother District Council, with the consultation period due to close on 30 April.

We would encourage anyone with an interest in the future of The Bell to take the opportunity to view the proposals and submit comments to the council if they wish to do so.

The application documents can be viewed on our website bellatiden.com and comments can be submitted directly via the planning portal.

23/03/2026

Planning applications relating to refurbishment works at The Bell have now been submitted to Rother District Council.

The applications (RR/2026/0195/LBC and RR/2026/0194/FULL) relate to works intended to support the restoration and reopening of the building as a village public house.

The closing date for submissions is 8th April 2026. We encourage members of the public to view the proposals and submit comments directly to the council via the planning portal if they wish to do so.

Further details and application links can be found on our blog:
https://bellatiden.com/planning-applications-now-live/

Further updates will be shared as the process progresses.

13/03/2026

Community Benefit Society completes purchase of The Bell

We are pleased to confirm that the Community Benefit Society and Christopher Strangeways successfully completed the purchase of The Bell yesterday.

This marks an important milestone in the community effort to secure the future of the village's only pub. We would like to thank everyone who has supported the project so far, particularly our shareholders, donors and supporters who made the purchase possible.

Our focus now turns to the next stage of the project: progressing the refurbishment works needed to bring the building back into use and working towards reopening the pub as soon as possible.

Further updates will be shared as plans develop.

Thank you again to everyone who has helped us reach this stage.

16/02/2026

We’re delighted to share the confirmed outcome of the community share offer and donation campaign to help secure the future of The Bell at Iden 🍻

Thanks to the incredible support of local residents and the wider community, we’ve raised:

£312,000 total
– £291,000 in community share investment
– £21,000 in donations towards legal and professional costs

This is a remarkable achievement and a clear vote of confidence in The Bell’s future.

What’s next? The Management Board has formally approved the issuing of shares, and shareholders will be contacted with the next steps, including share certificates. Work is now progressing towards completing the purchase and preparing for reopening as a thriving local pub.

We’ll continue to share updates as we reach key milestones.

Thank you for your support.

The Management Board
The Bell Iden Community Limited

13/02/2026

Community Share Offer Now Closed

The community share offer for the Bell at Iden closed on Thursday 12 February.
Thank you to everyone who supported the project – by applying for shares, donating, attending meetings or offering encouragement. We’re delighted the offer met its fundraising aim and will confirm the final total once remaining payments are reconciled.

The share offer is now closed and we’re no longer accepting new applications, but donations remain open to support associated costs such as legal and purchase expenses.

The management board will now complete the formal next steps, including confirming applications and issuing shares. All applicants will be contacted directly once this process is complete – no further action is required at this stage.

We’ll share another update in the coming days as we move towards completion of the purchase.

For more information, visit bellatiden.com.

09/02/2026

With just a few days to go until our community share offer closes on Thursday 12 February, we would like to thank everyone who has supported the project so far. The response from the village and the wider community has been remarkable and reflects the strength of feeling about bringing The Bell back into use as a pub.

Many people who made indicative pledges earlier in the campaign have now followed this through with formal share applications, for which we are very grateful. If you were one of those who expressed an interest but have not yet had the chance to apply, this is a gentle reminder that there is still time to do so before the offer closes.

Our aim remains to raise a minimum of £225,000 towards the purchase of The Bell. The more we raise through the share offer, the greater the community’s stake and the stronger the society’s position as we move towards the next stage.

Applications for shares, or donations, can be made via our website:
👉 https://bellatiden.com/

Paper application and donation forms can also be completed using the leaflets delivered around the village, with additional copies available from Iden Village Stores on Church Lane.

Thank you again for your continued support.

28/01/2026

Thank you to everyone who has supported the community share offer since its launch last week, including those who attended the launch meeting at Iden Village Hall.

We have made a very encouraging start, with over £100,000 already received in share applications. We are particularly grateful to the many people who previously made indicative pledges and have now followed this through with formal applications – thank you for that early commitment. We are also aware that there remains a proportion of earlier indicative pledges that have yet to be converted into formal applications.

Our aim is to raise £225,000, which would put the project on the strongest possible footing and give the Bell at Iden the best chance of long-term success. While the response so far has been very positive, continued support over the coming weeks will be important in helping us reach that goal.

The share offer remains open, and applications for shares or donations can be made via our website:
👉 https://bellatiden.com/

For those who prefer not to apply online, paper application and donation forms are available via the leaflets delivered around the village, with additional copies from Iden Village Stores on Church Lane.

If you have any questions or would like help with the process, please email us at [email protected].

Thank you again to everyone who has supported the project so far. Further updates will follow as the share offer progresses.

23/01/2026

Last night we officially launched our Community Share Offer for the Bell at Iden at Iden Village Hall – thank you to everyone who came along, asked questions and showed their support.

The share offer is now OPEN!
You can apply for shares or make a donation here:
https://bellatiden.com/

If you previously made an indicative pledge, now’s the time to turn that early support into a formal application when you’re ready.

Prefer paper forms? Share offer leaflets are available from Iden Village Stores, Church Lane, or at our drop-in support sessions:

📍 The Old Hall, Church Lane, Iden
🗓 Monday 26 January, 2–4pm
🗓 Tuesday 27 January, 2–4pm

17/01/2026

The Bell at Iden Community Share Offer is launching!

We’re delighted to confirm that the community share offer for The Bell at Iden officially launches on Thursday 22 January 2026.

From today, you can preview full details of the share offer on our website ahead of the launch. Applications will open on the launch date.

To mark the occasion, join us for a public meeting at 6.30pm on Thursday 22 January at Iden Village Hall, where you’ll hear more about the proposal and have the chance to ask questions. Everyone is welcome.

👉 Take a look at the share offer now:
https://bellatiden.com/share-offer/

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Iden

Website

https://bellatiden.com/

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