Shipton Bellinger residents support initiative to bring back village pub

Monday, 9 September 2024 06:00

Shipton Bellinger Sports and Social Club will host a pivotal Village Update Meeting on Wednesday, September 11th, at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the developments of the Shipton Needs a Pub Campaign.

The Village Update Meeting aims to update the community on the latest developments in the SNAP (Shipton Needs A Pub) campaign. The evening will also mark the official introduction of Shipton Community Pub Limited, a newly formed community benefit society.

The vision is to turn it into a vibrant community hub, an inclusive space that welcomes all villagers and visitors, including civilians, veterans, and serving military families.

SNAP is a community-driven initiative to save and revitalise The Boot Inn, a beloved pub that once served as the heart of the village. Having been closed for some time, The Boot Inn is now at risk of being lost to private interests, which is why the SNAP campaign is working tirelessly to purchase and reopen it as a community-owned asset. The goal is to restore the pub as a welcoming, multipurpose space that serves the entire community, providing a place for socialising, connecting, and supporting one another.

The newly established Shipton Community Pub Limited is a community benefit society, a cooperative organisation owned and controlled by its members, aimed at benefiting the wider community. Through this model, the community will have the opportunity to purchase and manage The Boot Inn, ensuring it remains a place for people to gather and build relationships.

Any surplus profits generated by the pub will be reinvested into the community, ensuring that The Boot Inn remains a sustainable, long-term asset for the village. Members of the society have a direct say in how the pub is run, ensuring that it truly serves the needs of Shipton Bellinger.

A spokesperson for the campaign said, "Our village of Shipton Bellinger is home to a wonderfully diverse community, comprised of both civilians
and military families. With a large number of married quarters and strong ties to nearby military establishments, the village has a unique blend of civilian and military life.

"The reopening of The Boot Inn will provide a space where everyone can come together and feel a sense of belonging, whether they’ve lived here for generations or have recently moved."