News / Princes Motto
Villagers unite to save 150-year-old pub
Villagers are making unified efforts to save their local pub from being closed permanently.
Princes Motto shut down in 2022 when its then-owner couldn’t afford the increased rent. The pub opened later on but was put for sale six months ago.
Villagers of Barrow Gurney, which is on the edge of Bristol are in the process of setting up a community benefit society that will raise £345,000 by selling its shares with the funds being used to buy and update the pub. They are currently looking for investors who can help them.
is needed now More than ever
The aim is to turn the pub – which has been the “centre of village life” for the last 150 years – into a community-owned space that will also run as a cafe offering coffee and croissants in the mornings and tea and cakes in the afternoon.
The Princes Motto is in Barrow Gurney, on the edge of Bristol – photo: Google Maps
After a meeting in the village hall on Saturday the chair of Free the Motto Steering group, Andy Robbins said: “Like so many country pubs, the Princes Motto has been struggling with low-profit levels for years.
“For well over 150 years it served the people of Barrow Gurney and south Bristol. It used to be famous for its beers and its warm welcome, but recently we’ve seen a succession of landlords come and go, unable to make it work financially.
“It would be a tragedy for us all if it closed for good. – which is why we need to re-invent the Motto, put it on a firmer financial footing and win back its loyal customers. In the right hands, and with the support of the community we are confident we can give our pub a new lease of life.”
Together, the villagers hope to “free” the motto from sale and make it “not just a pub but a community hub”.
Main photo: Andy Robbins
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