Campaigners' offer to buy village pub accepted

Interviews for prospective tenant landlords will be held in the coming weeks

Campaigners fighting to save a village pub say their offer to buy it has been accepted.

Residents in Langton Herring, Dorset, posted Gen Z-themed Tik Tok videos as part of their fundraising efforts to buy the Elm Tree Inn, which closed in November 2023.

The group has raised more than £500,000 and is still working to reach its £650,000 target.

Interviews for prospective tenant landlords will be held in the coming weeks.

A spokesperson said: "We are pleased to say that we have been able to make an offer for the freehold of the Elm Tree, and the current owner has accepted the offer, subject to contract."

The campaign by Friends of the Elm Tree Inn earned worldwide support after its Gen Z-themed Tik Tok videos went viral.

The videos saw residents adopt youth slang in a bid to get their message across to younger supporters.

In one clip, villager Hilary Warren urges viewers to "be an Elm Tree stan and help these boomers save their pub".

The videos have clocked up millions of views and generated support and donations from as far afield as Brazil, Singapore, Australia and South Africa.