A PUB’S future looks to be in safe hands.

The Salt Barge, on Ollershaw Lane in Marston, has been re-listed as an asset of community value.

This is the first stage of the Community Right to Bid, a legal power designed to protect assets such as pubs, shops and community centres from closing.

By being listed as an Asset of Community Value, the community will be given notice if The Salt Barge goes up for sale.

They will then have six months to raise the funds to buy it.

The Salt Barge was already listed as an Asset of Community Value but this had been due to expire and so Marston Parish Council submitted a fresh application to Cheshire West and Chester Council on September 29, 2023.

It was approved by Maria Byrne, CWAC’s director of environment and communities, on December 18.

“The pub continues to be recognised by the nominators as an integral valid part of the community providing social events and a place for local people to meet and interact,” read the decision notice.

“Due to its location, it also attracts visitors from further afield including canal users, visitors to the Lion Salt Works, walkers/dog walkers using the conservation area of which the pub is a part and residents from the adjacent parishes of Wincham and Great Budworth.

“The pub is also less than 0.5 miles from Ashfield Residential Park, a semi-retirement/retirement development comprising 150 plots, and is used by residents for refreshments and meetings.

“The pub hosts community events at key times of the year as well as charity events and music evenings.

“It offers meeting room facilities that are well used by local heritage groups, organisations and clubs including The Mummers and Morris dancers.

“The pub recently installed five TV screens for sporting events and has its own dominoes, pool and darts teams who compete in local leagues.”

Concluding, Ms Byrne said: “On the evidence provided it is therefore the opinion of the local authority that The Salt Barge, comprising the main building, adjacent beer garden and car park meets the definition of an Asset of Community Value in that the actual current use of the asset is not an ancillary use, it furthers the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community and it is realistic to think that there can continue to be non-ancillary use of the asset which will further the social wellbeing or social interests of the community in the future.”