Welcome to the campaign to save the 400-year old Cabinet
pub in the village of Reed in Hertfordshire.
The Cabinet is a Grade II listed building, the last pub in the village, and the only pub in the country bearing the name. Reed is a lively and expanding community, and the closure of its pub has been deeply felt not only by village residents but also by the many customers who used to travel to frequent this beautiful and successful pub. The Cabinet, although a viable business, closed in 2011 after substantial funds were misappropriated, leading to the bankruptcy of the publican. It was registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) soon afterwards (and was re-listed in 2019 so its ACV status will now last until March 2024). Despite approaches to the then owners by various financially credible parties to buy or rent it to run as a pub, it remained closed until 2015, when it was sold at auction to the present owner, a property developer, at a price significantly higher than its value as a pub. The developer turned it into a house without planning permission or listed building consent. Notwithstanding complaints from neighbours and from the Parish Council, the planning authority, North Hertfordshire District Council, took no action to protect The Cabinet from these damaging alterations. When the developer applied for planning permission and listed building consent retrospectively, it generated a huge public response. Some 90 written objections were submitted, and the Save the Cabinet Action group was formed to co-ordinate activities to save the last pub in Reed. On 20 July 2017, elected councillors at North Hertfordshire District Council refused planning permission for change of use. The original listed building application has yet to be determined. A new, retrospective listed building application was submitted a few days before the change of use decision. The developer’s appeal against refusal of permission for change of use was heard by way of a Public Inquiry on 6-8 November 2018. The appeal was dismissed on 10 December. In February 2019 the developer submitted new planning and listed building applications designed to split The Cabinet in two, three rooms of which would be a small pub, while the lion’s share would be a house. Both of these were refused at the beginning of April. In May 2019, a new application was submitted, this time for listed building consent described as being to “facilitate reinstatement of The Cabinet as a pub”. Unfortunately, inspection of the proposal reveals it to be a Trojan horse and that only a small part of the pub would in practice be open for business. The two retrospective listed building consent applications from 2016 and 2017 remain undetermined. The Action Group still needs to raise funds to help meet the costs of resisting the appeal and the latest planning applications. Please help if you can. You can read more about supporting the campaign, including ways to donate, here.
© Save the Cabinet Action Group 2020
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SAVE OUR VILLAGE PUB!
A gallery of local publicans who support the campaign
Read about the latest developments in the campaign
Learn about the long history of The Cabinet
Access the key documents in the planning case
Join us at one of our popular Pop-up Pub nights
Contact the Save the Cabinet Action Group
Quick links
The Save the Cabinet
Action Group
The Action Group was founded in September 2016. Its aim is to preserve The Cabinet, the last pub in the village of Reed in Hertfordshire. It has led the resistance to the various planning applications and the appeal.
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Read about our events and see how you can support the campaign
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The Save the Cabinet Website
You can reach us at three web domains. Not only savethecabinet.uk, but also thecabinetatreed.uk and now the pub’s old domain, thecabinetatreed.co.uk - which we have recently secured after it had been “cybersquatted” for some years. These domains will be made available to the pub when it reopens.
Support local pubs during exceptional times
Pubs have never needed your support more. During their enforced closure because of the public health emergency, many are offering take-away and delivery services consistent with the advice from the government, the NHS and Public Health England. A list of local pubs offering these services is here. (The list is probably incomplete - we will add more as we learn of them.) Obviously, top priority is everyone’s good health and minimising the spread of CV-19, and social distancing forcing the closure of pubs and restaurants was unavoidable. But you can help local pubs survive the crisis by using their takeaway services. Meanwhile, stay safe, everyone.
Welcome to the campaign to save
the 400-year old Cabinet pub in the
village of Reed in Hertfordshire.
The Cabinet is a Grade II listed building, the last pub in the village, and the only pub in the country bearing the name. Reed is a lively and expanding community, and the closure of its pub has been deeply felt not only by village residents but also by the many customers who used to travel to frequent this beautiful and successful pub. The Cabinet, although a viable business, closed in 2011 after substantial funds were misappropriated, leading to the bankruptcy of the publican. It was registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV) soon afterwards (and was re-listed in 2019 so its ACV status will now last until March 2024). Despite approaches to the then owners by various financially credible parties to buy or rent it to run as a pub, it remained closed until 2015, when it was sold at auction to the present owner, a property developer, at a price significantly higher than its value as a pub. The developer turned it into a house without planning permission or listed building consent. Notwithstanding complaints from neighbours and from the Parish Council, the planning authority, North Hertfordshire District Council, took no action to protect The Cabinet from these damaging alterations. When the developer applied for planning permission and listed building consent retrospectively, it generated a huge public response. Some 90 written objections were submitted, and the Save the Cabinet Action group was formed to co-ordinate activities to save the last pub in Reed. On 20 July 2017, elected councillors at North Hertfordshire District Council refused planning permission for change of use. The original listed building application has yet to be determined. A new, retrospective listed building application was submitted a few days before the change of use decision. The developer’s appeal against refusal of permission for change of use was heard by way of a Public Inquiry on 6-8 November 2018. The appeal was dismissed on 10 December. In February 2019 the developer submitted new planning and listed building applications designed to split The Cabinet in two, three rooms of which would be a small pub, while the lion’s share would be a house. Both of these were refused at the beginning of April. In May 2019, a new application was submitted, this time for listed building consent described as being to “facilitate reinstatement of The Cabinet as a pub”. Unfortunately, inspection of the proposal reveals it to be a Trojan horse and that only a small part of the pub would in practice be open for business. The two retrospective listed building consent applications from 2016 and 2017 remain undetermined. The Action Group still needs to raise funds to help meet the costs of resisting the appeal and the latest planning applications. Please help if you can. You can read more about supporting the campaign, including ways to donate, here.SAVE OUR VILLAGE PUB!
© Save the Cabinet Action Group 2020
The Save the Cabinet
Action Group
The Action Group was founded in September 2016. Its aim is to preserve The Cabinet, the last pub in the village of Reed in Hertfordshire. It has led the resistance to the various planning applications and the appeal.Follow us on Facebook
