“After a year of isolation for many of us, we all feel more than ever the value of social connection and the importance of keeping these community hubs alive” – editor Alison Phillips
Today the Daily Mirror’s front page asked readers to get behind The Trawden Arms in Lancashire, the last pub in the village – to help save it from being sold and secure it for community ownership.
If successful, Trawden will be the first village in the UK to have a community-run pub, shop, library, hall, and post office.
Daily Mirror readers who donate will be entered to win money-can’t-buy prizes if the pub reopens, from naming rights to a blue plaque behind the bar, to a specially commissioned bar named after them from a local brewer (including limited edition tins to be sold with the winner’s face on them).
Phillips commented: “After a year of isolation for many of us, we all feel more than ever the value of social connection and the importance of keeping these community hubs alive. Many Mirror readers may never set foot in this particular pub but we know they’ll love the chance to support a community working together to keep what’s theirs.
“If successful, we hope this campaign will prove to people all over the country that victories can be won, even during these challenging times.”
The campaign is part of the Daily Mirror’s long-running ‘Save our pubs’ campaign, calling on policies to help pubs weather the storm of a challenging few years, in particular the recent string of lockdowns.
This week the ONS released figures showing that less than a quarter of pubs currently open are confident that they’ll survive the next three months.
The Trawden Arms community is fundraising with the help of The Plunkett Foundation, which provides guidance to communities attempting to secure local businesses for community ownership. This year it has reported a 50% increase in queries from communities trying to save their local pubs.
