Prodigy singer's old pub may be taken over by Essex community

Image source, Yui Mok/PA Wire

Keith Flint, pictured performing with The Prodigy at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Swindon in 2009, ran the pub from 2014 to 2017

By Kate Scotter and Local Democracy Reporting Service

BBC News, Essex

A village pub formerly run by the lead singer of The Prodigy could be under new management as a community pub.

Pleshey Parish Council said a steering group had been created to look at how to run The Leather Bottle in the village near Chelmsford, Essex, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It has been closed since April. It is hoped an offer could be agreed by July.

Flint, who died in 2019 aged 49, took over and renovated the pub in 2014. He ran it until 2017.

Pleshey parish councillor Daniel Kenning told the LDRS: "The owners have given us, the community, their blessing to find out what it would take to turn it into a community pub.

"But nothing has been agreed yet."

Image source, Trevor Harris/Geograph

The Leather Bottle has been closed since April, it is hoped an offer could be agreed by July

He said pop-up pub events had been held to gauge public support.

"The pub is very popular in the community. It's the only pub in the village, so people are very keen it stays open," he added.

Part of the building is believed to date from the 15th Century when Pleshey Castle was still in use.

Mr Kenning said it has been a pub for about 150 years.

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