Raising a glass

VILLAGE pubs were once the heartbeat of rural communities. However, a combination of rising costs, higher taxes, the smoking ban, supermarket discounts and a lack of public transport have all combined to see last orders being called at hundreds of hostelries.

By The Newsroom

Published 15th Jan 2010, 19:19 BST

Updated 15th Jan 2010, 19:19 BST

The village of Hudswell, near Richmond in North Yorkshire, has been no exception with the closure a year ago of the George and Dragon, its own local.

It is to the credit of regulars that they did not accept this fate. They have fought back in an effort to see their much-cherished pub re-open. Now their buyout campaign, which requires a massive 220,000, has reached a critical stage. Local people have formed a co-operative and are looking for investors to buy shares in the venture by making pledges of between 500 and 20,000.

With growing concerns about the future of village life, the residents of Hudswell are to be congratulated for their community spirit.

If their efforts come off, they will certainly have earned the right to raise a glass and propose a toast both to themselves – and to a successful future.

North Yorkshire