LOCALS battling to save a closed York pub have won a small victory. They have been able to renew the ‘Asset of Community Value’ status of The Jubilee, on Balfour Street.

That gives The Friends of The Jubilee a six month period to raise money to buy the pub should it come on the market.

It could be significant given that developer Tri-Core, which owns the building, has signalled that it might be willing to sell the building to the Friends.

Tri-Core has applied several times for permission to convert all or part of the building into flats. Its latest application was rejected earlier this year.

Last month, Tri-Core director Dominic Woodward confirmed that he had subsequently invited the Friends of the Jubilee to make an offer. But he warned that if a sale could not be agreed, he would appeal against the latest planning refusal. “We feel we have a strong argument,” he said.

The Jubilee, which originally opened in 1897 and was named for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee, has stood empty and boarded up since 2016. It was declared an ‘asset of community value’ that year. But the ACV status was set to expire in July.

The Friends of The Jubilee have hailed the council’s decision to renew the pub’s ACV status as ‘the latest sign of progress in ...efforts to take over the building as a community enterprise’.

The Friends want to buy the building, then re-open it as a pub and multi-purpose space owned and used by local residents.

Leeman Road resident and Friends of the Jubilee member Shannon Edwards said: “We’re delighted that the council has again recognised that this magnificent building has a long history and, in the right hands, still has the potential for meeting the needs of the Leeman Road community. (We) will continue our work, and discussions with the current owner, to try and bring about the positive future that we’re convinced The Jubilee can still offer for our neighbourhood.”

Local ward councillor Kallum Taylor added: “The council’s support will no doubt be a welcome boost to the brilliant work being put in by residents to try and make a success of the building for the community.”