Newtown-in-St-Martin pub rescuers get £240,000 boost

Campaigners who have 60 local investors will now prepare a formal offer to purchase the pub

Villagers have secured £240,000 from the government's Community Ownership Fund towards buying a local pub.

The Prince of Wales in Newtown-in-St-Martin, near Helford in south Cornwall, has been closed since November 2020.

Campaigners looking to buy the pub said they were "really pleased" to have been offered the cash.

Spokesperson Adam Carpenter said the group, which has 60 local investors, now hoped to make a formal offer to the owners.

The £150m Community Ownership Fund is to help communities take control of much-loved local assets that might otherwise be lost.

'Great news'

Mr Carpenter said the village had lost its shop, post office, garage and schools.

A planning application to develop the pub car park for housing had been rejected, creating "an opportunity to transform the last community asset into something that will make a difference to people", he said.

"We are really pleased, it's great news."

The group would be "lining up a lot of ducks" before making an offer.

"We now have to work with the owners and we are hoping to negotiate with them," he said.

Minister for Levelling Up, Neil O'Brien said: "We are backing community-led projects which helps such villages in Cornwall become thriving areas for people to live, work and visit."

No-one from the pub was available for immediate comment.