For information about preserving the Malt Shovel, Menston as a pub.

Thank you to all those who expressed interest of support. The working group of 3 Menston Parish Councillors and 3 other village residents have put a lot of time into working out the best way of protecting the pub and we would like to update you on the current situation.

It has always been the case that the next owner of the Malt Shovel will be whoever the current owners decide to sell to, so the aim was for an attractive bid to be made by an organisation that would ensure that it remained a pub for the long term.

The working group worked mainly towards a community ownership model that would have required a huge fundraising effort across the village and probably was beyond its capacity.

More recently the opportunity arose to support a private bid which was to be made by a small group of Menston residents who share the aims of improving and preserving the Malt Shovel, and who already had the necessary funds available. Very importantly, if successful in buying the pub this group would invest in renovations and keep it open but also if they later find that not to be sustainable they have agreed that the community, through the Parish Council, would have the first refusal on buying the property at that point. This satisfied the Parish Council that their bid was the most hopeful way of keeping the pub a pub for the long term and subsequently no separate community bid will be made. The Parish Council has given its support to this private initiative.

We now watch and hope that this private bid, which was lodged in the last week, will be successful.

Thank you again for your interest

Gordon, Jamie and Dale 

 A New Online Group - Being There

One of the by-products of the Covid lockdown restrictions is that people of all ages have felt loneliness and anxiety. St John’s has formed what is hoped to be a peer led support group called Being There – because everyone needs to know there is someone there.

You can see the poster with more details here

Menston Christmas Window Trail

SATURDAY 5^TH DECEMBER is the launch of the Menston Christmas window trail. FOMPS – Friends of Menston Primary School - have had over 63 households sign up and cannot wait to see your creativity! If you would like to get your hands on a map then you need to send an email to: fompschristmas@gmail.com 

You will be sent the virtual map and a link to click to donate to the Friends of Menston Primary School to 'pay' for your map.

Celebrating the switch-on of Menston's Christmas Lights  on 5th December!

The MCA’s Light Up Menston group invites participation in a Carols at Christmas street singalong to generate lots of noise, play musical instruments, drums, bells or anything to hand, on Saturday 5^th December, culminating in a Christmas Lights Switch on at 6pm. Various firework displays  are also being arranged. We obviously won’t be able to repeat last year’s event in the current circumstances but it is hoped that some opportunities for safe, socially distanced interaction will be possible.

An 8 page booklet listing the carols and schedule has been delivered through letterboxes. Plans have been put in place to build on last year’s successful lighting initiatives in the village and a fundraising Facebook page has been set up, called Light Up Menston – Menston Christmas Lights Switch On.

The singalong will take place EVERY Saturday in December as well as Thursday, 24^th December.

On 9th January a Tree Chipping service will run again at Kirklands in order to raise funds towards next year’s event which will be even more spectacular. Timings will probably be 10-12 but there will be a poster outside Kirklands. 

Get your Books and Jigsaws for Christmas!  

Monday         10.30 to 12.00