News & Views
Featured Stories
Innovative ventures in food and farming
In 2017 we continued to work with the Real Farming Trust and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to deliver the Just Growth programme. This 18-month initiative was set up to nurture community enterprises that are farming and producing food in a responsible way. Six projects received a funding package made up of one third loan finance, one […]
Helping multi-stakeholder co-ops to grow
During 2017 we helped two very different multi-stakeholder co‑operatives to expand and develop. RetrofitWorks RetrofitWorks, based in London, is a multi-stakeholder co-operative whose members include both owners/managers of housing stock such as local authorities, housing associations and charities, and tradespeople and building companies. Megan Williams, Projects Manager at RetrofitWorks, said: “RetrofitWorks brings together the supply […]
2017 – The Year of the Co‑operative Pub
2017 was the Year of the Co‑operative Pub. We saw a big growth in demand for finance from communities wanting to take ownership and control of their local assets, especially pubs. Just over three-quarters of the finance we released in 2017 went to 10 community benefit societies involved in pubs and hospitality. More Than A […]
Recent Lending
500 year old pub saved
The people of Ash, near Sandwich in Kent, have succeed in buying the 500-year old Chequer Inn that has been closed for four years. The pub had previously been bought by a developer but the villagers blocked the planning application and persuaded the local authority to make the pub and Asset of Community Value. They […]
Another village pub saved by community ownership
The residents of the small village of Winterbourne Bassett in Wiltshire are celebrating a new acquisition – their local pub, which has been bought by a community benefit society set up just five months ago. Many of the ‘new owners’ gathered in the pub last weekend to toast their success and start the refurbishment. One […]
Going, going, gone! Sold to the community.
The New Year started well for the people of Cookshill and Caverswall, neighbouring villages on the outskirts of Stoke on Trent. On 5 January their long fight to save their pub from demolition came to an end when the Auctioneers Arms was bought by Caverswall Community Society. Some 130 local people had bought shares in […]
Community holds keys to success
Just one month after collecting the keys of the Cross Keys, the people of Redgrave in rural Suffolk are opening the doors of their community-owned pub for just a few hours on 23 December for pre-Christmas drinks. “It is meant to be a low-key event – an informal chance to celebrate and say thank you.” […]
Positive future for retrofit co-op
A unique co-operative that is helping to reduce carbon emissions and lower household energy bills is expanding thanks to a special loan fund created by the Ecology Building Society and managed by Co-operative & Community Finance. RetrofitWorks, based in London, is a multi-stakeholder co-operative whose members include both owners/managers of housing stock such as local […]
Co-op pub buys second building in village
A community benefit society that saved the pub in an Essex village last year has bought a second property that it will convert into a restaurant and affordable rented accommodation. On 19 September Great Oakley Community Hub Ltd completed the purchase of the property known as the Red House which stands next to the Maybush […]
Blogs
Innovative ventures in food and farming
In 2017 we continued to work with the Real Farming Trust and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to deliver the Just Growth programme. This 18-month initiative was set up to nurture community enterprises that are farming and producing food in a responsible way. Six projects received a funding package made up of one third loan finance, one […]
Helping multi-stakeholder co-ops to grow
During 2017 we helped two very different multi-stakeholder co‑operatives to expand and develop. RetrofitWorks RetrofitWorks, based in London, is a multi-stakeholder co-operative whose members include both owners/managers of housing stock such as local authorities, housing associations and charities, and tradespeople and building companies. Megan Williams, Projects Manager at RetrofitWorks, said: “RetrofitWorks brings together the supply […]
2017 – The Year of the Co‑operative Pub
2017 was the Year of the Co‑operative Pub. We saw a big growth in demand for finance from communities wanting to take ownership and control of their local assets, especially pubs. Just over three-quarters of the finance we released in 2017 went to 10 community benefit societies involved in pubs and hospitality. More Than A […]
‘More than a Pub’ programme extended
A major support and finance programme helping communities to take control of their local pub for the benefit of the community has been extended until March 2019, it has been announced today (23 February 2018) by Community Pubs Minister Jake Berry. More than a Pub: The Community Pub Business Support Programme was launched in March […]
Community Co-operative Awards
Once again we are proud to be a sponsor of the Community Co-operative Awards. If you have a community-run business in your area that you feel goes above and beyond to support the community then please persuade them to enter (communityownershipawards.com). It’s free to apply and entrants get good publicity. Applications close on Friday 27 October […]
Invest now in Community Business
After helping many communities to raise finance we are now holding our own community share issue. We are inviting you to invest ICOF Community Capital (ICC) and help us make a positive change for workers, communities and the environment. ICC is a loan fund set up to support the growing number of UK communities taking control […]