The people of Bampton have raised a monumental £400,000 and secured the future of a community owned pub in the valley.
Campaigners have been working tirelessly over the last month to secure community funding for the Mardale Inn through a share model, and it was announced on Tuesday that they had hit their upper target, meaning the pub can open as early as this summer.
“It’s extremely positive how the community has come together to make this happen,” said Phil Sweetland, one of the leading campaigners.
“It proves how much passion there was to Save a Pub for the Valley which is now preserved in the Community Benefit Society’s hands for many generations to come.
“There is lots of work to do over coming months and years but lots of optimism that the valley has now secured a really important ‘community hub’ that will be regularly open.”
More than 500 people invested — over 70 per cent of them from Cumbria.
Following strong messaging at the turn of the final week of fundraising, Sunday and Monday proved to be an extremely hectic 48 hours which saw the share total leap from £300,000. This allowed the team to close two days earlier than expected.
Raising their “stretch” target of £400,000 for the share offer means the team can move more quickly on purchasing the Mardale Inn and undertaking phase one, which will secure the permit to reopen for food and drink.
Despite people only being able to buy shares last month, the actual project started in July 2021, and locals have volunteered vast amounts of time to do assessment work, boost social media presence, spread leaflets, host drop-ins throughout the area and put together a business plan.
Not to rest on their laurels, the campaigners will now turn their attention to refurbishing pub and are looking at other funding sources.
The team thanked everyone who helped them save a pub for Bampton Valley – with stakeholders all having an equal vote on issues. One of the first to be resolved is whether or not to change the hostelry’s name back to the original, St Patrick’s Well.
