Southgate District Civic Trust's application to register the Fox pub as an Asset of Community Value has been successful. Enfield Council notified the Trust last week that the application had satisfied the rigorous requirements set down in the legislation - the first ACV application to do so anywhere in the borough.
An important factor was undoubtedly the fact that important community events are held in the large function room at the rear of the Fox. Recently the room has been used for the Cycle Enfield exhibition, for ward, and before that area, forums and last, but by no means least, for Talkies Community Cinema screenings. As the name suggests, Talkies is about much more than just showing films, and the Fox provides an ideal venue for the various add-ons to the fllms, such as live music and, of course, a bar that helps keep the community spirit well lubricated.
While registration as an ACV does not in itself prevent demolition or conversion of the pub for another use, it does put these changes on hold for six months, providing time to find alternative solutions that will retain its community roles.
Fortunately, at the moment there is no reason to believe that the Fox will cease to be a pub, but we only have to look a couple of miles up the road as far as the Green Dragon to see how quickly things can change.
For more information about the ACV registration, see the Southgate District Civic Trust website and Palmers Green Jewel in the North - Suzanne Beard, the brains behind Jewel in the North, can claim credit for the bulk of the work that led up to the successful registration.
As we reported earlier, the Save the Green Dragon campaign has been allowed a second chance to apply for ACV registration of the Winchmore Hill landmark. Let us hope that the Green Dragon will become the second Enfield Asset of Community Value.
