THE MP for St Austell and Newquay Noah Law, is set to present a petition to the House of Commons, urging the government to recognise The Dolphin Inn in Grampound, as an ‘Asset of Community Value’.

The petition was created following Cornwall Council’s decision to not re-register the Dolphin as an asset, despite the village’s only pub being registered twice before.

The petition, signed by many Grampound residents, emphasises the importance of the Dolphin Inn in supporting the “social, cultural, recreational, and sporting interests” of the community. The Dolphin has always played a key part in the village’s heritage and community fabric.

The petition, which Mr Law is set to present to the commons chamber this week, is a landmark moment in returning the Dolphin Inn’s previous listing as an Asset of Community Value. It is hoped that the petition will send a message to Cornwall Council, pushing for vital protections and support on planning matters and grants. It also provides the community the first options over ownership if issues were to materialise.

Mr Law says he is a “strong advocate” for pubs within his St Austell and Newquay constituency. He has lent his name to a letter addressed to Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, calling for further support for the brewing and hospitality sector.

The letter, written by the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, asks for an extension of the 75 per cent business rates relief for hospitality businesses, freezing Beer Duty, widening the draught duty differential, and a new approach to proposed packaging taxes when it comes to local pubs and bars. It is hoped that these measures will support Cornwall’s local venues, providing the much-needed support that community hubs like The Dolphin Inn require.

Mr Law’s efforts on behalf of local publicans are part of his wider agenda supporting local, Cornish hospitality businesses. He has recently written to MP James Murray, Exchequer secretary, raising concerns that VAT thresholds haven’t raised in line with inflation, placing Cornish businesses in a “stranglehold” between “being able to grow and being able to operate viably in their communities”. This is particularly pertinent in cases like The Dolphin Inn, Grampound, which is the only pub in the village.

Speaking in advance of the presentation of the petition, Mr Law added: “The submission of this important petition demonstrates mine and our local community’s commitment to preserving The Dolphin Inn as a vital local institution. I am proud to support The Dolphin, and I urge Cornwall Council to hastily restore the Asset of Community Value designation that Grampound so desperately deserves.”

For further information on this petition contact Mr Law’s office on [email protected]