A NOMINATION to list a pub in Winterbourne Stoke near Stonehenge as an asset of community value has been submitted to Wiltshire Council.

The Bell Inn on the High Street closed in November 2024, and it is reportedly one of the only buildings in the village where people can hold functions.

If granted, this listing would mean the community would have the right to try and raise funds and bid for the building first if it is put up for sale.

For applications to be successful, it must be demonstrated that the building is used to further social wellbeing or interests in the community – or that it has the capability to do so in the future.

The nomination said: “This is the only building in the village (apart from the church) where villagers can hold social functions such as birthday celebrations, funeral wakes, pub quizzes, bingo, and many other functions.

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“When the village had a fireworks display in recent years, the pub lawn was the safe place where it was viewed from.

“The premises have been used as the polling station for many years, villagers now must go to Berwick St James to vote in national and local elections.

“All these factors helped with the social and wellbeing of villagers.”

24 people put their names down to support the application.

According to the Bell Inn’s website, it first opened in 1756 as a small alehouse on the east side of the main road that passes through Winterbourne Stoke.

In 1841, the River Till flooded and 16 houses, including the alehouse were destroyed, which resulted in the Bell Inn being rebuilt in its current location in the mid 19th century.

The application can be viewed by searching reference ACV/2025/00006 on the planning section of Wiltshire Council’s website.

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