The Salusbury Arms – Keeping the Pub in the Community.

The Salusbury Arms in Tremeirchion, North Wales is a local institution. The pub has provided generations of local people their first pay packet, their first pint, and their first quiz night.

When the long-term owner decided to sell, the community took it on themselves to secure the future of the pub.

The main aim of Tremeirchion Community Pub Limited was to make the pub an accessible community space for a population with fewer and fewer local amenities and places to meet.

However, the group’s ambitions don’t stop there. Over time, the group intend to use the space to provide a community cafe and a shop - stocked with produce from local farms and businesses. The group are also developing innovative plans for services such as banking, the Post Office, and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

These projects will provide a range of employment opportunities for local residents; particularly younger people in the area.

Tremeirchion Community Pub Limited was awarded £160,000 as a capital grant from the Community Ownership Fund with a further £15,000 in revenue funding. This was more than matched by the £195,800 raised by a successful community share offer, putting the group in a position not only to buy the pub, but to get started immediately on essential renovations.

Throughout their application, the group received help from the Plunkett Foundation, who are one of the official support partners for the Community Ownership Fund. Plunkett were able to allocate an expert adviser who was already familiar with the project to help the group. This adviser was able to provide support with running a community share offer, the Community Shares Standard Mark, and a full review of the application before it was submitted.

• Read the prospectus carefully – it will help you answer core questions and enable you to ask the right questions.
• Speak to your local council about how your plans can complement rather than duplicate local services.
• The Community Ownership Fund is like climbing a mountain. You’ll get to the top but there are days when you just need to concentrate on taking the next step.
• Use your local talent pool. Every community has enthusiastic, helpful, and skilled individuals. Make the most of them.