Chesterfield town centre pub closed for nearly 12 months could be set for new lease of life

Kakou, based at the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, has confirmed that it is looking at purchasing the freehold of the Rectory Pub on Church Way.

The Rectory shut down permanently in April 2023, owing £180,000 to creditors – with the pub’s liquidators saying the closure was due to a downturn in business and increases in rent costs.

Kakou describes itself as a social enterprise looking to identify and remove barriers that exclude the disabled from accessing mainstream music, creative arts and wellbeing participation.

In a post on their Facebook page, a Kakou spokesperson said: “We’re looking to buy the freehold of The Rectory on Church Way, which has been closed for over a year, and turn it into a community pub and social hub.

“We’d love to know your opinion, so we've created a community survey. You do not need to be based in Chesterfield to complete it, as we know this pub was loved by both locals and visitors.”

On their website, Kakou said they planed to keep the same feel of The Rectory, offering high quality food and drink.

They also intend to offer the first floor as a space for the local community to use, as well as providing a home for Kakou’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) activities.

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The link to Kakou’s website, where the community survey can be accessed, is here.