A Community-owned or Community-run pub is increasingly becoming the successful model for saving pubs threatened with closure or which are being sold off by the owners, often a pub company which has seen a string of tenants or managers struggle to make the pub a success.
CAMRA is keen to encourage this success and is doing what it can to help.
Numbers. Over recent months, a register of all known community-owned/run pubs has been created and this can be found at community pub ownership This shows by county all pubs that are community owned or community run and has some information active community campaigns to purchase or lease a pub.
Advice and Guidance. On the same website is guidance that has been compiled for individuals or groups considering the community ownership route to saving their local pub.
There is separate guidance about what can be done in the sadly-common situation where an owner sits on a closed pub in the hope of getting their own way, usually on change of use. When pubs stay shut.
Plunkett Community Network. The Plunkett Foundation has been especially active in assisting community groups. They recently announced the launch of a community pub network, funded by Power for Change. The network will offer bespoke support to help with the setting up and sustainable running of community pubs. Support to pubs already operating will be in the form of a self-help mechanism, encouraging successful enterprises to offer advice to any which are struggling. Plunkett have always favoured the Community Benefit Society model of ownership but they have made clear that the network will also embrace other models such as Community Interest Companies, Parish Council ownership and private limited companies.
If you are aware of a pub under threat where there is community support to keep it going please make use of this advice and guidance and let Oxford Branch know. pubs-officer@oxford.camra.org.uk
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