Hampshire villagers win national award for saving local pub

Villagers who saved a historic pub from development and bought it as a community asset have won a national award.

Dating back to 1721, the Plough Inn in Longparish, Hampshire closed in 2015 and was destined to be turned into a residence by developers.

But after more than 300 villagers and people from elsewhere invested in the pub, it reopened in 2021.

Their efforts have been recognised by the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

The organisation's Pub Saving Award is given to communities who have come together to save a pub that would have otherwise been demolished or converted to another use.

The pub was bought by the village using a community share scheme with the help of the local parish council and additional grants and donations in February 2021.

Camra said months of "incredibly hard work to completely refurbish the property inside and out" followed.

But it said: "Three hundred years after it first began trading, the Plough Inn was once again at the heart of the community."

Chair of Longparish Community Pub Ltd Andy Jolliffe said the village was "delighted the Plough was thriving again."

"It was possible because of the way local people brought their many and varied skills and dedication to the project," he said.

"Our aim in taking over the Plough Inn has been to provide something that is more than a pub - it is also a vital community hub ... a truly valued community asset."

Camra's Paul Ainsworth said "pubs play an irreplaceable role in bringing people together".

"The decision to purchase and run a pub as a community is a real commitment to preserving its future for generations to come," he added.

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