Dear Friends of the Milburn

 This blog is an historical record of the events and communications as they occurred in Rosedale when a proposal was made for change of use of the Milburn Arms Hotel, Restaurant & Pub.

Friends of the Milburn is a group of over 300 people both locally based and drawn from all over the UK who are familiar with the Milburn Arms Hotel, who value the Milburn Arms Hotel and who support its key role in the social and economic welfare of the area.

The Friends of the Milburn want to see The Milburn Arms re-opened as a Hotel, Restaurant & Pub for the social and economic benefit of this small rural community and will continue to oppose any proposed change of use of the Milburn Arms for any other purpose than Hotel Restaurant & Pub.

The Friends of the Milburn’s objectives are in line with the NYMNPA Development Objectives which state “The tourism sector has an important role in the local economy. Tourists are attracted to the Park by the range of tourism facilities and range of accommodation provision and therefore it is important to retain this range, particularly serviced accommodation such as hotels.”

For the last few years there has been little direct dialogue between the estate and the community following the acrimonious community meeting when the estate became aware of the opposition to and of strength of feeling against their idea for change of use.

Friends of the Milburn welcome any dialogue with David Ross, as owner of the Milburn Arms Hotel.

Autumn Update

Hi All

It’s been a while since the last email so I thought it’s time for a brief update. I’m not intending to recap everything in the last email.

I should start by welcoming new Friends of the Milburn who have joined the campaign over the summer. If anyone who hasn’t seen, or wishes to see again, the longer summary spring update email issued on 5 April please let me know and I’ll forward.

Jon Zigmond keeps in regular contact with the National Park Chief Planning Officer who has confirmed there has not been any approach on a change of use from the MAH owner or those acting for him. With all the evidence we have, which has grown over the summer, we believe it would be impossible to show the MAH is not viable and so a change of use cannot be substantiated.

Jon has been involved in two sets of discussions with potential tenants (as well as keeping in touch with some of those who would wish to buy the MAH). It is believed an offer – a rather generous offer – was made to lease the MAH around three months ago. We don’t know the outcome – other than there has been no activity on the ground – but our suspicion is that as for previous offers it has gone into a “black hole”. The agent advises of the offer and hears nothing further.

Jon has also spoken with another serious potential tenant more recently who had an interesting tale. She asked to view and was told she couldn’t because the person who knows all about the MAH has left the agents. It appears this was a reference to a young lad, Joe, who showed round potential tenants, all of whom then complained he knew nothing and couldn’t answer any questions. That was also Jon’s experience on speaking with Joe.

When the potential tenant pressed for a viewing she was told she cannot view without first producing a business plan. How you can produce a business plan without having seen the premises is a mystery to the potential tenant as well as to us. When pressed further she was advised she cannot view because a lease is “under offer”.

I leave readers to draw their own conclusions from the tale.

The present position remains unsatisfactory. We have made several attempts to have some dialogue with the owner but they have come to nothing. We welcome any attempts by others, subject to the objective to see the MAH reopen.

The MAH traded for over 230 years. By the end of next month it will have been closed for 3 years. Eventually either there will be a change of heart by the owner or there will be a change of ownership. 

A change of use would be forever. Our patience (albeit with great frustration) and resolve remain strong.

Thank you all for your support.

Prime Location

http://www.primelocationblog.com/uk/

A recent visitor to Rosedale,  is clearly disappointed and confused by the current closed and decaying state of the Milburn Arms. Follow the link above to read the full article.

Congratulations and Thanks to Andrew Pern

For winning the North East  round of the Great British Menu.

Link below to Andrew receipes and to his award winning Star Inn at Harome.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/programmes/b01092dr

http://www.thestaratharome.co.uk/

Andrew spent many years at the Milburn Arms Hotel in Rosedale, we all miss him and remember the buzz in the village, the people who came from far and wide to eat as they had done for many years at the Milburn, queues out the door and the fight for a seat in the bar at 6.30pm,  though we are all delighted by his success in Harome and equally his unequivocal support for the Milburn Arms and Friends of the Milburn. We have received a very positive letter of support from Andrew Pern.

The Friends of the Milburn and the vast majority of the people of Rosedale Abbey want the Milburn Arms to have to opportunity to be successfully re-let,  for its owner to communicate directly with this community to learn the importance of the Milburn Arms at ground level, and for the Milburn Arms to remain as a Hotel Restaurant and Pub and operate as an invaluable addition to our community and economy.

Latest Exchange with the Estate January 2011

Subsequent to the Estate newsletter an email was sent on 22 December 2010 and a reply was received on 28 January 2011. These emails are shown below.

On 22 December 2010 18:43, Jon Zigmond  wrote:

Dear Rosedale Estate (anonymous as ever, although my email is showing it was sent by Nick Teagle)

Thank you for your email and newsletter.

I have a straightforward question which I hope you will answer.

Page 1 of the newsletter contains “In the meantime, should you know of any interested BUYERS, please encourage them to contact our agent Barry Crux”. (My emphasis on “buyers”.)

I do know of interested buyers of the MAH who have approached Barry Crux and have been advised the premises are not for sale. Has this position changed?

With best wishes for Christmas and 2011

Jon Zigmond

On Fri, Jan 21, 2011 at 3:15 PM, Jon Zigmond wrote:

Dear Rosedale Estate

Might you now be able to reply to my 22 December email please?

Jon

On 28 January 2011 19:07 MAHQueries responded
Subject: Re: The Milburn Arms Hotel newsletter

Jon

We are looking for a purchaser of the leasehold.

Regards,

Rosedale Estate

 

January Update

Further to our posting of the December Estate newsletter on 22 December we believe many of you will have now received a hard copy through your letter-box.

As you read it we suggest you may like to bear in mind the following email received fairly recent from a prospective tenant:

“I visited the Milburn Arms as a prospective purchaser and I thought you may be interested in hearing what I thought.
Needless to say that the whole building, in my view, is not in a position to be marketed as a hotel with the conditions the owner through his agent are proposing”

We have spoken to the the prospective tenant who is aggrieved that he was misled and had his time wasted with viewings, when it became clear to him the Estate has no intention of offering terms which could make sense for any tenant.

We would also like to remind all readers that the MAH traded for over 200 years. A change of use will be forever. Ownership by Mr Ross will not be forever.

 

Latest Exchange with the Estate December 2010

Please see exchange of emails with the Estate and the newsletter referred to.

In some ways the newsletter is patronising.

It sounds as if the Estate is rapidly preparing the ground for a change of use application. 

What the newsletter is silent on is the possibility of the Estate selling the MAH. We know there are serious buyers who have approached both the agent and the Estate and have been told it is not for sale (if any reply is received at all).

Also the newsletter does not refer to hotels, yet the MAH operated successfully as a mid-sized country house hotel.

 

An especially unsatisfactory aspect is the newsletter is silent on letting terms. We know leading letting agents have advised the values of businesses such as the MAH have fallen by 40% over the last two or three years, but there is no indication this has been reflected in the terms at which the MAH has been offered. (And it is certainly arguable whether the initial terms were economic for a tenant.)

Also the terms must reflect the MAH has now been closed for over two years, and sadly this is the third Christmas it is closed.

One wonders why the “many viewings” – clearly people interested in taking it on – have come to nothing.

The reference to “alternative trades” is interesting. It sounds as if the Estate has something in mind, but it isn’t obvious what business the listed building could otherwise be used for.

The MAH traded for over 200 years. A change of use will be forever. Ownership by Mr Ross will not be forever.

May we wish all Friends of the Milburn Arms Hotel a very happy Christmas and New Year.

EMAIL Date: 22 December 2010 18:43 Sent by Friends of the Milburn

Dear Rosedale Estate (anonymous as ever, although my email is showing it was sent by Nick Teagle)

Thank you for your email and newsletter.

I have a straightforward question which I hope you will answer.

Page 1 of the newsletter contains “In the meantime, should you know of any interested BUYERS, please encourage them to contact our agent Barry Crux“. (My emphasis on “buyers”.)

I do know of interested buyers of the MAH who have approached Barry Crux and have been advised the premises are not for sale. Has this position changed?

With best wishes for Christmas and 2011

Jon Zigmond 

EMAIL RECEIVED On 22 December 2010 17:58, MAHQueries <mahqueries@gmail.com> wrote:

Jon and Kate

Further to previous correspondence, please find attached a copy of the second newsletter relating to the Milburn Arms Hotel.

It was hoped that a copy of the newsletter would be delivered to every resident.

However, due to the bad weather, arrangements are being made to leave a supply of the newsletters at the shop in Rosedale Abbey and in the church.

If you are aware of any resident who would like a copy of the newsletter, please encourage them to contact this email address.

Regards,

Rosedale Estate