Residents invest in community pub with additional funding package
A community pub has secured additional loan finance and investment for growth ensuring protection and ownership for future generations.
In 2021 The Bell Inn pub in Frisby on the Wreake (situated on the Upper Wreake Valley of Leicestershire) had closed its doors as the village’s only remaining pub. The community worked quickly and proactively in forming ‘The Bell Inn Frisby Community Group’ and contacting the wider community through household surveys and consultation. This eventually led to the purchasing of the much-loved community asset later that year through an impressive community share offer and supportive loan finance from Co-operative and Community Finance and their legacy ‘More Than a Pub Fund’ scheme.
Since that time the society has further consulted the community to seek feedback on satisfaction of their services, facilities and activities, as well as ideas for expanding and developing community provision and potential future funding for capital projects. The pub has also invested in building renovation and upgrades including electrics, heating, new patio and garden area, outside performance area, new windows, carpets, furniture, fire doors, appliances, external brickwork repointing and a refurbished and upgraded living quarters in the building.
The pub has also been used successfully as a community hub hosting a total of 28 local groups and societies for meetings or activities ranging from the village friendship group weekly meet-up, sports society meetings, a Macmillan coffee morning, monthly NHS Care Team meetings and regular mother and toddler groups. The pub also has regular quiz nights, live music and seasonal events in addition to the community activities led by groups in the village.
Co-operative & Community Finance were delighted to provide an additional loan package to re-profile existing loans and to assist with cash-flow and working capital as the pub moves through busier trading periods and continues the redecoration and renovation of the building. Tim Coomer, Business Development Manager at Co-operative & Community Finance said: “We are so pleased to be able to support the Bell Inn, the hospitality sector is facing huge pressures at the moment, so it’s fantastic to see yet another Community Owned pub bucking the trend and able to invest in the fabric of the pub for future generations to benefit. The range of ‘more than’ activity held at the Bell is particularly impressive and we wish them great future success.”
The completion of a recent housing development in the area also provides scope to attract more local residents to the pub, create more involvement in the society and increased use of the pub as a venue and community hub.
Alan Charlton, Chair of The Bell Inn Frisby Community Group said: “We are very grateful to have worked with CCF to secure further finance to support the business. This additional finance will assist in developing the future of the business which is a key part of the community. We found the process very professional and are looking forward to the future.”
You can find out more about The Bell Inn Community Pub by visiting their website.
Edie Turner, founding member of Big Step Housing Co-op, said: “We’re thrilled to finally have bricks-and-mortar for our housing co-op. We worked hard creating a financial model to reflect our principle of redistributing wealth from individuals to create an affordable, sustainable, intergenerational community – current members are from 0-61 years old. At a time when secure, good quality housing is unfairly inaccessible to too many in society, we believe that our model offers a radical but viable alternative that others could adopt, and we are immensely grateful for CCF’s support for that vision. Now, our real work begins to turn our new home into a lively hub for people, permaculture and community resources!”
The Friends of the Elm Tree committee aims to bring the community together, foster social connections, encourage engagement, and contribute meaningfully to the local economy. The committee’s plans and values also include charitable involvement, local support, and cultural and recreational contributions to the area. Trevor Austreng, Treasurer at Friends of the Elm Tree Inn, said: “We are very grateful to Co-op Loan Fund along with 
Ickleton Community Pub Limited was registered as a Community Benefit Society with the assistance of 
Now open, the community pub has recruited a team of staff and along with a dedicated Community Engagement Officer plans are already in place to proactively engage with community groups setting up a programme of workshops, lectures and social activities in the upstairs activity room where 20 groups have already signed up to use the space.
The Helions Bumpstead Community Benefit Society was set up in 2014 with a view to take community ownership of their local pub the ‘Three Horseshoes’ (located in northwest Essex) after it was registered as an Asset of Community Value by the local Parish Council. In 2019 the society raised funds to purchase the historic pub – a building dating back as far as the 1870’s – with an impressive community share fund worth £287K and investment from Co-operative & Community Finance via the ‘More Than a Pub’ programme.
Local residents and shareholders have praised the society’s work and have commented on how the pub has brought a real sense of community to the village. In 2023 a second community share offer was completed raising £14K to be used to improve the outdoor areas of the pub and complete further maintenance work. 
The Blue Bell pub situated in Stoke Ferry, Norfolk has been serving residents since 1795 and as a community owned pub since 2021. Locals obtained the pub as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ and established a Community Benefit Society (Stoke Ferry Community Enterprise Limited) as a transparent way to deliver the project alongside their community. Fundraising for the purchase involved a successful community share offer, grants and loans with the pub receiving specialist advice and finance from the More Than a Pub programme.
The society currently has 450 members and the proudly community owned and run pub has full time staff working alongside a group of around 10 local volunteers helping out in the pub, kitchen and bar. With a good understanding of the local market and a mission that puts the community at the heart of what they do, The Blue Bell has proved popular with locals and residents within the surrounding area.
Co-operative & Community Finance were delighted to help Stoke Ferry Community Enterprise secure a loan package for refinancing and working capital following on from the ‘More Than a Pub’ legacy scheme. Kevin Lloyd-Evans, Lending and Relationship Manager at Co-operative & Community Finance said: “Working with Alan and Stephen at Stoke Ferry Community Enterprise was a pleasure. I was really impressed with how they dealt with delays and kept moving forward with the refinancing package. Co-operative & Community Finance’s funding works really well by helping build long-term financial viability with affordable monthly repayments. An excellent basis to move forward.”