On Friday (29 May 2020) a keen-eyed member (perhaps with 20/20 eyesight?) noticed that the ‘Under Offer’ tag had been removed from Bratton Fleming station’s listing with a Barnstaple estate agent.
The agent was contacted immediately, who confirmed that the station was indeed back on the market – but cautioned that interest had been shown by other parties, who were attempting to raise the necessary finance.
This gives Exmoor Associates a narrow window of opportunity quickly to try and raise the funds necessary to make the purchase.
Donations are being sought to form a group (provisionally to be called Friends of Bratton), limited to 700 ‘slots’, each costing £500 – to fund the purchase and legal fees.
EA shareholders and L&BRT members are all invited to become ‘FoBs’, and several have already done so.
Would you be interested in becoming a FoB?
Please email david@exmoor-associates.co.uk for further details.
14 thoughts on “BF Station for sale again”
I’d like to donate £50 to the fund to buy Bratton Fleming Station. How can I do this?
John, Hopefully there will be a link to click on, which will take you to JustGiving’s website where you can make a donation to help with to help with raising funds to reach the purchase price.
Thank you in anticipation.
David
David, are you going to produce a running total, so we know where we stand with the appeal.
I’ve made a donation after reading about this on a GWSR blog, but I don’t see anything on the L & B website.
Thank you for your interest, Barry.
As of 1pm on Saturday 6 June, we had received donations for 187 of the 700 slots offered.
The JustGiving site has raised just over £4000, enough for a further 8 slots, bringing us to a total of 195.
An excellent result given the appeal has been going for just a week.
David
Graham, the L&BRT have been given the details of the appeal, with a request that they put something on their website.
David
There is now a link at https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/story/bratton-fleming-station-sale-friends-bratton
Just a thought. Might it be worth asking people for a commitment to donate as well as actual donations. Going on the basis that some might not want to part with money only to get it back if the appeal fails. That includes people who may have already donated also. I know some will not honour it, but it may give you a better idea whether raising the total funds is achievable
Barry, some have already offered pledges of money – but these carry the risks you describe; plus, there is the time element. If we have the cash in the bank we can commit immediately instead of waiting until the pledges materialise. David
Regardless, if it looks like this sum is going to be achieved, I’ll buy another share, but I wouldn’t want to commit more money at this stage.
Regards
Barry
Just looked at the estate agent and it says under offer. Have we missed the boat? (I have donated and am a supporter of the L&B)
Hi Joy, We found out this afternoon (Wed 10 June) that the station was again ‘under offer’, and are very disappointed that the agent saw fit not to contact us to let us know. The station has been ‘under offer’ twice before, and on both of those occasions, those offers failed to make it to an exchange of contracts. We are watching this space and hoping that we are third-time lucky. David
I am sorry I can not afford to contributr £500 for a slot but would be willing to make a smaller donation. Are Exmoor Associates a registered charity? If so, any donation can be Gift Aided, adding another 25%. Why have you not provided a link to the Just Giving page? Seems like the obvious thing to do.
Hi John,
EA is not a charity and so Gift-Aid may not be claimed. This is the first time we have gone outside the organisation with an appeal for funds; the purchase of Bratton Fleming Station is by far our biggest project to date. The use of Just Giving as way of raising funds was suggested by a supporter (and very kindly run and managed by him). In retrospect, a link to their website might have been a good idea; we’ll remember that for next time!
David