AN APPLICATION for an alcohol licence has been lodged to Stroud District Council. 

In order to save the Black Horse in Cranham after its closure, a community group made up of around 260 shareholders bought the pub. 

Now an alcohol licence has been submitted to SDC ahead of its reopening. 

If approved, the pub would be allowed to be open from 9am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, between 9am and 11pm on a Sunday and between 9am and midnight from Monday to Thursdays. 

Alcohol could be served from 11am until closing time on each of those days with a separate application made for Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and for when the Gold Cup Race week takes place in Cheltenham. 

The application read: "The Black Horse is a Cotswold village pub which has always been the hub on the village.

"In November 2023 it was purchased by the community to ensure the long term sustainability for this vital village assets.

"The pub was bought by around 260 shareholders and will be run and managed by our tenants.

"The business model will be a small warm and inviting village pub providing good quality food both for lunch and evening meals.

"Food sales will enable the pub to survive and allow the Black Horse to be a pub for walkers and cyclists to enjoy refreshment and for local villagers to have a focal point to socialise and relax.

"It was primarily bought by the community to ensure there is a focal point for villagers and to enable socialising and somewhere to meet during specific events.

"Providing food sales will enable the Black Horse to be a viable business for many years to come.

"During Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival week, we want to be permitted to serve alcoholic beverages from 9am to serve race breakfast to locals (large number of villagers follow the racing) and visitors staying in several local B&B’s.

"The refurbishments have brought the pub back up to the required safety standards in many ways, such as a full rewire, replacement of all windows, repair of failing floors and brickwork as well as improving the access arrangements to the first floor. "