In these hard economic times when so many businesses are closing their doors, it is heart-warming to see a community rouse to save a local pub. Residents of Cumbria have taken up the call, raised the needed £300,000 to buy and refurbish the pub in order to re-open its doors 27 Aug.
The community co-operative has had a rousing amount of support after the Guardian posted an article in May which spoke of how people in the community could become co-owners for £250, a small investment. Of course they could invest more and some did, which is why the pub was saved.
To date, there are 300 members who have invested in the co-operative and treasurer Cameron Smith states that they have been literally overwhelmed by support from the community and beyond, people extremely interested in the project. The pub will serve food and drink and will be able to once again open its doors to the public.
Actually, it is not only the people in Cumbria who have invested in the Butcher’s Arms, but people as far away as Alaska Stateside and even in Australia. The pub has been closed down for about a year now but it is felt that the benefit to the community will go well beyond saving a business. Volunteers within the community are gathering resources to do such things as decorating, plumbing, gardening and even the electrical and carpentry work.
Although shares are full at the moment, the co-operative’s directors will take a list of names of those wishing to buy shares if they open up again. To get further details on if and when shares become available it is recommended to contact the member owned Co-operative Enterprise Hub. With all the stories of businesses going under in these trying times, it is heart-warming to see a community, in fact the entire world, stand behind keeping the doors of a local business open.
