Opening date set for village pub saved by community

The 500-year-old pub was saved by hundreds of investors across the country

The doors are set to reopen at a historic 16th Century village pub that was saved by the community after coming under the threat of redevelopment.

The Hop Pole Inn closed in 2018 and had been due to be sold to housing developers before being bought by the Limpley Stoke Community Benefit Society in 2022, which was given six weeks to raise £370,000.

It has since undergone a £1.3m renovation to breathe new life into the Grade II listed building in Wiltshire and will reopen on 25 January at 16:00 GMT.

Chairman of the society, Simon Coombe, said: "People have been captivated by the idea of this small community trying to save something that's very dear to it's heart."

Simon Coombe said watching the community come together to save the pub had been "heartwarming"

The village venue, described as "the beating heart of the community", is the last surviving pub in Limpley Stoke.

Residents launched the Save the Hop Pole Inn campaign as the pub came under threat of permanent closure when plans were considered to turn it into a residential redevelopment.

"We didn't have much confidence we would make it," said Mr Coombe.

"But in six weeks we raised that money from about 600 people.

"That showed us the strength of conviction in the broader community that people really wanted to keep this as a pub."

The historic pub has had a new extension, kitchen, office and toilet block added

The not-for-profit community organisation has also received a variety of grants to help restore the pub to its former glory.

These included £300,000 from the government's Community Ownership Fund and £10,000 each from the National Lottery and the Swindon-based Hills Group Ltd.

Landlord Charlie Rawlings (R) said he was "blown away" by the community's efforts

New landlord, Charlie Rawlings, said he intends to create a "traditional multi-faceted pub" atmosphere.

He hopes the venue will remain at the "centre of the community", providing a place where people can meet for an evening drink, a morning coffee and catch up with friends.