Hull Solicitor Helps Local Community Save Pub ‘Where Churchill Learned How to Drink'
Matthew Hudson from Ancora Law in Hull trying to help others achieve their goals
THE WHITE HOUSE pub is located in Bladon, near Oxford, where Britain’s former Prime Minister frequented in his younger years, and is well-known for being the place where he learned to drink.
In recent months, villagers have been raising money to save the renown pub as it faced closure when being sold by the country’s leading pub retailer, Greene King.
The community had limited time to raise money and claimed that Bladon’s residents felt compelled to save ‘the heart of their community’ which has existed since the 16th century.
With the building also being the village’s last remaining pub and entertainment venue, residents felt connected to this central hub and meeting place. A historic building which they knew deserved to be saved and an asset they wanted to remain for generations to come.
In the midst of fundraising, local residents sought the help of a legal team to help them in their efforts and this is where Matthew Hudson, a solicitor in Hull, came into the picture to represent the community group with his new law firm, Ancora Law.
Matthew Hudson, Commercial Property Solicitor and Founder of Ancora Law is based worlds away from the small village near Oxford. Growing up and based in Hull, Matthew claims Ancora law is all about helping others achieve their goals.
Further, Ancora Law’s tagline ‘Making Law Easy’ accurately describes the way in which they operate, with their focal goal to increase efficiency, improve customer service and reduce legal fees through innovation and technology; something which is quite unique in the conventional industry of law.
Matthew said: “I could quickly sympathise with the community of Bladon when I heard their story and why they needed legal support in the sale of The White House.
This is such an iconic deal, which has not only caught national attention but also international support. I’m really proud that Ancora Law had the commercial property expertise to make a difference.”
Ancora Law’s professional services were instrumental in the sale of the property as this was not a simple case to navigate. But, Matthew insists that the happy news of the eventual sale of this property was “a monumental community effort and one which should be applauded, as it would not be a reality without the consistent determination of the campaigners.”
The local firm is also an associated member of the Plunkett Foundation, an organisation which supports rural communities across the UK to tackle the issues they face through community business.
Fundraisers are thrilled to have raised enough money to buy the pub and also to have had Ancora Law’s help in getting the pen across the dotted line.
Residents from the village purchased shares to save the pub, but the team were also surprised to see investments come in from as far and wide as the USA and New Zealand; clearly showing how their story touched people outside of the small village’s borders.
