Villagers raise £400k to buy and reopen only pub

The pub closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic

A village has clubbed together to buy and reopen its only pub after raising £400,000.

The Kings Head in Chitterne, Wiltshire, closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic although local residents were trying to buy the pub years before.

Now the Chitterne Community Pub Group (CCPG) has gathered more than £300,000 and has taken out a £100,000 loan to launch the purchase.

Richard Hendrickse, who is part of the CCPG, said: "It felt like we need a part of the village that's open to the rest of the world."

The group wants to buy the pub - which is the only one in the village and is Grade II listed - from its owner in order to run events to "celebrate the community".

Mr Hendrickse told the BBC they had 100 investors, including one who lives in America who used to live in the village.

He added he hopes to get the keys before the end of September and for it to fully open by Christmas this year with a new landlord.

'Palpable excitement'

Mr Hendrickse said work will be completed on the pub's interior and on the landlord's living quarters.

"There's palpable excitement for it to reopen in the village," he said.

"People remember what it was like when it was really busy. On a Friday night you couldn't get in there unless you booked, it thrived."

He said the pub will "bring the community back together".

"Everyone's lost touch," he said.

"There are community activities but they don't get everyone involved, and having a pub to go to lets people mix in the village and meet others.

"Sometimes I see people who have travelled through the village knock on the window to see if it was closed."

The group also hopes to add a pop-up shop to sell items such as milk and newspapers.