The George and Dragon, Hudswell: Volunteers to man the bar at Yorkshire community-owned pub after tenants leave

The George and Dragon in Hudswell, near Richmond, faces an uncertain period of trading after the announcement that licensees Mark and Michelle Firby were giving up the lease due to the high operating costs of running the pub.

The George, which is a national CAMRA award winner, was saved from closure by the Hudswell Pub Company and re-opened in 2010. Since then, it has had only three long-term leaseholders. At the time, villagers raised funds to buy the building and many of them still hold shares in the tenanted business.

Hudswell Pub Company secretary Martin Booth said that the current bar staff are keen to stay on until new tenants are found, and that members of the society have offered to work shifts to keep the inn open.

Mr Booth said: “Mark and Michelle Firby have decided to terminate their tenancy as of 31 August. The HCP management board will meet on Monday 14 August to decide how to react to this news. We will make every effort to minimise disruption and keep the pub open. We will look to appoint a new tenant as quickly as possible.

"The board of HCP have acted and will continue to act in the interests of the members of HCP and the community in Hudswell to secure the future of the George and Dragon.

"We are extremely grateful for the hard work that Mark and Michelle Firby and their staff team have put into running the George and Dragon over the last year. Clearly the well-publicised dramatic increases in the cost of energy and food and drink supplies have made their task very hard. However, the George and Dragon has been a very successful pub in the past and we are confident that we will find new tenants to take on the pub. In the short term our members and villagers will rally round to keep the pub open, or if it has to close then this will be for as short a period as possible. We have already had offers from volunteers to work behind the bar and the current staff are keen to stay on. If anyone is interested in taking on the tenancy of this famous community pub, please contact me by email at [email protected].”