A community has the chance to bring an empty pub back to life after it was put up for sale.

Residents and councillors in Stone battled to get the Lads of the Village pub in Elizabeth Street, Stone, listed as an asset of community value when it closed down on New Year’s Eve.

They won, and now the 230-year-old building has gone up for sale - as a pub or bar - they can put their plan into action.

Stone parish councillor Paul Cutler, who was a regular at the boozer before it closed, said: “It is great news that the building is up for sale as a pub again.

“Hopefully this will attract someone who can bring it back to life as a pub in the community.”

Being an asset of community value means the parish council can now write an expression of interest letter which will stop the building being sold for the next six months while it tries to raise the funds to buy it.

Cllr Cutler confirmed: “The owners are required to notify Dartford council, which holds the list of assets, and Dartford council will then write to the parish council to request that it submits an expression of interest to bid for the pub within six weeks.

“In the absence of this, the freeholder is free to sell to whoever they want to. If the letter is written this would start a six-month clock during which the freeholder cannot sell to anyone else, although they have no obligation to sell to the parish council at the end of the six months.

“The six-month window is provided to give the council time to secure the necessary funds if available and look at the viability of making a bid.

“Obviously, the council members will have to agree to take this project further.”

He added: “This would be a great thing to do. There are all sorts of grants around we can apply for; people who have private equity can put money into it.”

Cllr Cutler said: “It’s a good price but it does need a lot of work.”

The two-storey detached building is up for sale for £375,000 and includes a two-bedroom flat. It is described as having a long L-shaped trade space, with a single servery at one end nearest the bar entrance.

Customer car parking amounts to 12 spaces. At the rear of the building is a covered patio area and to the left is a lawned beer garden. There are also a number of sheds and outbuildings all of which are in a dilapidated state.

The land to the west of the site is described as not forming part of the public house but is subject to planning permission granting a development of two houses.

The 80-year-old landlord Sean Holland celebrated 45 years at the helm of the Lads of the Village on July 4 last year and made the pub cash-only in its last few months to cut costs.

The parish council is expected to discuss the way forward at a meeting next week.