A petition has been been started calling for the urgent restoration of a 800-year-old Grade 2-listed village pub that people fear is now being ‘left to rot’ since closing its doors six years ago.
The Cock Inn in Sibson is one of the oldest pubs in England and dates back to the thirteenth century (1250). It is widely regarded as among the oldest surviving inns in the country and predates the Battle of Bosworth Field that took place nearby. It has also been claimed that the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin used the inn as a refuge back in the day.
But despite its historic significance, the pub has remained vacant since November 2019 and residents say the building has visibly deteriorated during that time.
The Cock Inn is owned by Star Pubs & Bars, the pub business of Heineken UK. The company has previously pledged at a public meeting attended by over one hundred local residents that it intends to invest in restoration works and a major refurbishment of the site. However, local campaigners say that a number of assurances about progress have not been fulfilled.
It is reckoned Dick Turpin used to like a few ales at The Cock Inn
Local residents have now organised a petition calling for urgent restoration of the pub, which has already attracted more than 900 signatures. The building was registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), recognising its importance to the community.
The petition states: “We the undersigned request the urgent restoration of our Grade II-listed historic village pub, The Cock Inn in Sibson, by the owners Star Pubs and Bars (Heineken UK). The Cock Inn is registered as an Asset of Community Value and has been deteriorating since being left vacant in November 2019. It is a much-loved landmark in the area and a much-missed social hub for locals and visitors alike.”
It can be signed HERE
In February 2023, ‘Save our Pub!’ was founded by members of the Sibson community with the aim of re-opening the Cock Inn. County Councillor Joshua Melen chairs this group, alongside representing residents in the Market Bosworth area.
Councillor Melen said: “The Cock Inn is not just another village pub. It is a building of national historic importance and a treasured part of our local community. For centuries it has been a gathering place for residents and visitors alike. Unfortunately, residents have heard many promises over the past six years about restoration and reopening, but those promises have yet to translate into visible progress. Meanwhile the building continues to deteriorate.”
Residents are urging Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council to use the powers available to it to compel the pubs owners in to action.
A spokesperson for Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council said: The council’s Conservation Officer has been in recent discussions with the building owner Star’s project manager and contractors, and a site meeting is scheduled later this month to agree how works to address immediate concerns regarding the deteriorating condition of the building will be carried out. Once this is confirmed, the council will formally request clear and achievable timescales for delivery from Star.
Brewery Star Pubs and Bars has attributed the failure to complete refurbishment and reopening in 2025 to “circumstances beyond our control”.
A spokesman for the company said: “Despite this, we were able to undertake extensive structural works prior to commencement of the refurbishment itself”.
