Our first project has been successful !GCBSL, with the help of the 466 shareholders purchased the Samson Inn on 24th July 2024,
George Campbell signed the lease of the Samson Inn Community Pub, Gilsland and the doors opened on 26th October 2024.
We will raise the money to buy the pub through a mixture of grants and a community share offer. The Share Pledge Letter and Form will be released in December 2023 and closed by mid-January 2024. It is vital for a successful bid that we can show that we have strong community support.
The Community Ownership Fund has awarded £49.1 million so far this year to community projects, including 26 community pubs. It has a further £101 million pounds to award in the next two years.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-ownership-fund-prospectus
Successful previous bidders
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/community-ownership-fund-first-round-successful-bidders
In September 2023 the list price of the Samson Inn was reduced and after a Steering Group meeting on the 15th October Gilsland Community Benefit Society agreed to make a new offer at the reduced asking price. We were delighted when the vendors agreed our price at the beginning of November. We re-mobilised everyone and re-activated work on the financials and Business Plan. We are in a strong position to apply for a Community Ownership Fund grant, having already had our Expression of Interest accepted, and this was reinforced when we were short-listed, and then selected, for an In-depth Support package to help us prepare a quality grant application.
GCBSL has reorganised into 4 working groups each with a Lead and distinct roles. We have appointed a Program Director who will also run our Risk Register
In March we submitted an Expression of Interest to the Community Ownership Fund and were pleased to be accepted for this.
We were unable to progress without an agreement on price and we decided to pause work on Business Plans etc. We left our offer open for acceptance by the vendor.
We started investigating alternative options to provide a community pub in the village, and at the end of June 2023 the group voted not to actively pursue the Samson Inn further, whilst looking for alternatives, and we notified the agent of this. We wanted to be very clear and open with our actions and ensure that we were free to open negotiations with another party should the opportunity arise.
We made an offer in February 2023, at the valuation recommended by MJD Hughes, triggering the 6-month ACV moratorium process. Our offer was not accepted by the vendors who continued to market the pub.
We created 8 project subgroups to work on the aspects of the project. We carried out a building survey to assess the condition of the pub and identify remedial work needed and future costs. We contracted for an assessment of the kitchen equipment to identify immediate needs and future costs. We successfully applied for Booster Funding to pay for an independent valuation from MJD Hughes Consulting, an expert in pub valuations recommended by the Plunkett Foundation, and for funding to pay for our expected Community Share offer to be accredited to the Standards Mark.
We consulted with other community pubs in the area and joined a Plunkett Zoom forum for community pubs to discuss issues and advice. Based on this we selected a preferred operating model for the pub of purchasing the building and then leasing it to a tenant to run on the community’s behalf. Feedback from other community pubs recommends this over the alternatives of appointing a manager or attempting to run the pub with a volunteer workforce.
We have a very skilled and diverse core group of circa 20 with 10 serving on the Management Committee including Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.
An initial public survey was held in October 2022, receiving over 40 responses, which identified the community’s needs and formed the basis for our Vision and Aims. A further public consultation event was held a couple of months later in the village hall to further inform us and ensure we are aligned to community needs, which was very well attended. We are fully supported by the 3 Parish Councils, our County Councillor, The Village Hall Committee, The Womans Institute, The Village Magazine and many other small community groups, who have all made donations to help with our initial funding. Local businesses have indicated their full support including the traditional Bed and Breakfast guest houses in the village which rely on tourism for their trade.
A public meeting was held in October 2022, attended by over 100 village residents, and it was clear the community wanted to save the Samson. We joined the Plunkett Foundation and formed a Community Benefit Society led by a Steering Group of over 20 village residents.
Thirlwall Parish Council, supported by the other two Village Parish Councils and with the group’s help, applied for an Asset of Community Value order on the Samson Inn to Northumberland County Council, and this was granted.
Gilsland is a small rural village of 440 people on the Northumberland Cumbria border located on Hadrian’s Wall. Historically the village had four pubs/hotels serving the local community, and also visitors to Hadrian’s Wall, which are a vital part of the local economy. In October 2022 the Samson Inn, the last remaining public house serving food in the village, announced it was closing.
To purchase and operate a village pub, securing an asset of community value for the future. It will provide an inclusive, friendly, welcoming and sustainable venue for both the community and visitors alike. This will reduce social isolation, engender a sense of belonging whilst delivering collaborative benefits for the whole community including local businesses and producers, and providing employment.
Gilsland Community Benefit Society Limited is committed to understanding and responding to community needs.
We undertook an initial community survey in October 2022, and a follow-up walk-in event two months later to understand our community needs.
GCBSL Community Survey Summarised responses of community need
If our local pub was opened/saved/run by the community in Gilsland would you or any member of your household use it?
Of 40 who responded 100% would use the pub and the total number of visits per week would be about 50.
What additional services would you be most like to see the pub offer?
