Appeal to buy village pub for community

The Cross Guns has served Pant since the 19th Century

A campaign to buy a village pub so it can be run by the local community has received pledges of more than £60,000 in the first fortnight.

People living in Pant, Shropshire, have set themselves a target of £500,000 to purchase the Cross Guns and put it back into use.

The pub, which closed in October 2024, is currently owned by Admiral Taverns, and the company has said it is willing to sell the building for £395,000.

Because it was registered as a community asset, the campaign has until April next year to come up with the money and prevent it being put on general sale.

The Cross Guns has been serving Pant since the 19th Century and is described by Admiral Taverns as "a prominent landmark in the picturesque village".

A spokesperson for the Friends of Cross Guns Pant said while the villagers wanted "a warm, friendly, cosy village pub", the venue as was had lost its local support in recent times, leading to the closure.

Since then, the group has been organising pop-up pubs at Pant Memorial Hall and believes The Cross Guns could be a success again if in community hands.

The group said it was seeking advice from experts on community purchases and planned to hold a public meeting in the village on the evening of 20 November to discuss progress so far.

It said its aim was to create a "safe space for everyone, offering a warm, friendly welcome and a wide range of services that villagers desire".

One option would be to open the pub as a cafe during the day and a pub in the evening, but the group said it wanted to hear people's ideas.

It said the start to the fundraising campaign had been "very, very positive", but if it was not possible to buy the pub the group would explore other options, including purchasing a different building.

Admiral Tavern said it was "strong believers in the importance of community pubs" and it tried to help its licensees run sustainable businesses.

But it said despite its best efforts to reopen the Cross Guns, it concluded the venue did not have a "long-term sustainable future within our estate", prompting the decision to sell.

The company said it had been talking to the local community to "find the best solution for the future of the pub" and would welcome further discussions.