Community rallies to save much-loved pub

The Bell shut in October 2022

Villagers in Worcestershire are appealing for help in raising £450,000 to save their much-loved pub.

The Bell at Pensax - near Abberley in the Malvern Hills - dates back more than 180 years, but closed in October.

Now a campaign group is asking local residents to buy shares worth £250 each so the pub can be reopened.

It has been described as "vital" and the "focal point" of the rural community.

Similar appeals in the area have proved to be successful as the Queen Elizabeth at Elmley Castle was saved after 26 people agreed to become shareholders.

The Brewers Arms in West Malvern was also reopened after neighbours raised £400,000, and the same community generosity helped to save The Bell at Yarlpole in Herefordshire.

Toby Wise, is the chairman of the Community Benefits Society, a group which hopes to buy and own The Bell and is appealing for local people over the age of 16 to chip in.

He told BBC Hereford and Worcester: "Everyone used to come here for all different reasons, sole traders described it as their office and people came for family events - it's very important to a lot of people."

'Tremendous outcry'

Rob Grady, a father-of-four, is also desperate to save the pub he has visited with his family for more than 30 years.

He said: "You can't overstate the importance of an excellent village pub in a rural community, it's a fantastic thing to have.

"When the pub closed down there was a tremendous outcry and a lot of people very quickly started to talk about what we could do [to save it]."

Mark Haslam, from the Campaign for Real Ale in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, said: "When you buy somewhere, selling community shares is an extremely affordable way of raising capital and allows you in invest money in the premise and transforms the economics.

"I think the Bell could be a success."