If you live in a small community that has lost its only pub, you might feel like you have lost more than just a place to drink. Pubs play an important role in our local communities. They provide valuable local hubs that strengthen community relationships and encourage wider social interaction. They also contribute to the local economy, with each pub being estimated to generate £80,000 annually.
But what if you could bring back your local pub and make it even better? What if you could own and run it as a community, for the benefit of everyone? That’s what community pubs are all about.
Community pubs are pubs that are owned and managed by local people through a co-operative or other democratic structure. They are not run for profit, but for social good. They aim to provide a range of services and activities that meet the needs and interests of their communities, such as shops, post offices, libraries, cafes, meeting rooms, sports facilities, arts and cultural events .
There are many benefits to setting up a community pub. Here are some of them:
- We can save our local pub from redevelopment. Many pubs across the country are under threat from developers who want to turn them into housing, which is often unaffordable for local people. By taking control of The Black Lion as a community, we can protect it from being lost forever.
- We can create a more vibrant and inclusive community hub. By offering more than just drinks, we can attract more customers and visitors to your pub. We can also cater to different groups and needs in our community, such as families, young people, elderly people, and disabled people. We can make our pub a place where everyone feels welcome and valued.
- We can generate income and jobs for Skelton-on-Ure and surrounding areas. By running our pub as a business, we can create employment opportunities for local people. We can also reinvest any surplus income after paying dividends on shares into improving the pub or supporting other community projects.
- As an investor, you can have a say in how your pub is run. By owning and managing your pub as a co-operative or other democratic structure, you can ensure that it reflects the views and wishes of your community. You can decide on things like opening hours, prices, products etc.
So don’t let your local pub die. Re-open it as a community pub and hub today!
