Several rural pubs rescued with government levelling up funds

Several endangered pubs in rural communities across England will be put into the hands of locals and awarded levelling up funding to keep them going.

In rural Wiltshire, the Silks pub, which has stood at the heart of the communities of the Ogbourne Saint Andrew, Maizey and Rockley hamlets for more than 100 years, has been thrown a lifeline with investment of £237,500. The new funding will help with pub improvements such as refurbishment.

The Prince of Wales pub in the Cornish town of Helston will also be awarded £240,000, and £150,000 will breathe new life into the Bell Inn in Leicestershire, which closed two years ago and was likely to be lost to developers.

The pubs are among 10 projects being rescued with a total of £1.8m of funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The money is being awarded from the department's £150m Community Ownership Fund, which helps communities take ownership of assets and amenities at risk of closure.

Secretary of state for levelling up Michael Gove said: "Pubs, historic buildings and sports clubs form a vital part of our heritage and for too many places they are a disappearing part of the local community.

"That is why we are helping local people take control of these beloved community assets, which would otherwise be lost. This sits right at the heart of our vision for levelling up – giving people the power to make positive changes in their local community and restoring pride in the places where the live."

National chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Nik Antona said: "Where dedicated local people are willing to save pubs in their area from closure, demolition or conversion to another use, it is right that they are supported to do just that.

"Our locals are vital parts of our social fabric – bringing people together, helping to tackle loneliness and social isolation, and providing a range of services for rural communities they serve."

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