Residents can bid for Red Lion pub under Right to Bid legislation

Community groups will be able to bid on a popular pub now up for sale under the Community Right to Bid legislation.

Solicitors representing Punch Taverns, which owns the Red Lion pub in Oakley Green Road, have confirmed it intends to sell the pub.

The pub was listed as a community asset of value in March and residents will now have until Thursday, July 14 to confirm if they are interested in submitting a bid.

They will then be given six months to gather up funds for the bid.

Cllr Samantha Rayner, cabinet member for culture and communities, said: "One of the Royal Borough’s manifesto commitments is to support residents to access the government’s Pub Loan Fund.

“Community Right to Bid gives local groups and organisations the chance to bid for and take over the running of assets that are of value to the community, for example a village shop, a community or children’s centre, a library or local pub or a piece of public or privately owned land.”