Brighton and Hove City Council has today confirmed that the pub has been added to its list of assets of community value (ACV).

This will give the local community, and those involved in the campaign, a six week window to see whether funds can be raised to purchase the building and retain it for community use.

Ultimately, the final decision lies with the owner of the building, Enterprise Inns; who could of course still choose to sell to a private developer, but the decision to add the property to the ACV list will hopefully allow local residents to put together a viable alternative.

This story is sadly becoming all too familiar - with large pub companies and developers cashing in on pubs struggling to stay afloat. In parliament I've raised concerns about the business practices of large pub companies imposing unfair terms on pubs leasing properties they own.

I've been supporting the campaign to save the Rose Hill Tavern as an asset of community value from the start and am delighted that the council recognises the important role pubs play in our local communities.

I think that local residents should have more of a say in decisions that affect the area in which they live. The ACV itself has some limitations, it’s essentially a right to bid, not a right to buy.

If local communities can raise funds and present a viable alternative, I think they should be given priority above proposals put forward by private developers. I will be following up on this aspect, arguing that more needs to be done to ensure that local communities, including local authorities, have greater powers to stop unwanted developments.

The Rose Hill Tavern has been a meeting place for local residents for over 140 years, and there is now a glimmer of hope that it will stay open for community use for many years to come.

Raising funds to purchase the pub as a community asset is not an easy task - but I've been impressed by the campaign so far, and how it's caught the imagination of local residents.