The Cock Tavern in Somers Town is up for sale

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THE freehold for one of the last traditional pubs left in Somers Town has been on the market ­– setting alarm bells ringing among regulars.

Now a community group, Life After Hummus, is considering whether it can raise a whopping £4 million to buy the building – home to the Cock Tavern in Phoenix Road – and guarantee that the bar stays open.

Current owners Flamestrike Limited announced its intention to sell last month and as the pub is listed as “asset of community value” at the Town Hall, the rules of sale state that community groups have a six-month free run to enter a bid.

After that anybody else can jump in with a bid.

Farrah Rainfly, from Life After Hummus, said: “I expect people to be worried that they will lose their pub, as it’s such an important space for working-class people. It’s also a space that is welcoming to anyone.

Where else can you go where it’s that affordable? Where do you go to connect in the community? You go to the Cock Tavern.”

The potential high price tag is because the freehold also includes residential flats upstairs.

Ms Rainfly added: “I don’t see raising the money as impossible. I believe that between local residents, academics, unions, Celtic supporters and the wider community who appreciate this pub, we have a fair chance of raising that £4million.

“It’s an asset to the community and if the Cock Tavern should go or change, the heart of Somers Town changes.”

The Cock Tavern is a great survivor. Over the years a series of other pubs have been turned into flats – including those pictured above.
It is a popular spot for the London Irish community and Celtic football fans who in 2000 made the pub their home, welcomed in by landlady Sheila Gavigan. She has run it since 1999.

Diana Foster, founder of A Space for Us – People’s Museum Somers Town, said: “I went there a couple of months ago and there was a couple in their 80s that had met and married there and they were doing the same thing for their 60th anniversary.

“It’s serving a vast demographic of people, students, workers in the area, there’s nowhere quite like it in the area. It’s almost like a museum, because of its rich social and historical history but I don’t want to use that word, because that suggests it’s dead. It’s alive. It’s very much alive.”

Paul Tomlinson, a former Somers Town councillor, said: “£4million is a great amount but it’s not impossible. Our area is a poor area, and it’s noted that lots of the people who live in the area are on benefits. So I’m hoping we will raise donations from a wider audience, and the Irish diaspora as well as local people.

“It’s an emotional situation. There used to be so many pubs in Somers Town and now if you walk around you’ll see they’ve been turned into flats.”

Guy Ziser, a director for the freeholders, said that concerns were unwarranted because a buyer would be expected to continuing leasing the ground floor as a pub.

“The pub’s operation was never under threat in our ownership, and there is no reason to think that this would change going forward – given it sits within a listed building and wouldn’t lend itself to other uses,” he said.

“We welcome any genuine bids from the community however we must stress that a change in ownership given the circumstance should not be making a difference to the pub as its held on a separate lease.”

People wanting to join the group supporting pub, should e-mnail: friendsofthecocktavern@gmail.com