A WHOLE community is celebrating after being successful in buying their village pub and saving it from permanent closure.

Plans by villagers of Exelby, near Bedale, to buy and renovate the Green Dragon pub as a community hub paid off on Friday, October 12 when Exelby Green Dragon Community Pub Ltd completed on the purchase from pub company Ei Group.

The plans include a complete refurbishment of the Green Dragon and creation of community-led affordable housing in the North Yorkshire village, together with the re-establishment of a shop and café.

Company secretary and local resident, John Walker, said, “This is a fantastic achievement and goes to show what communities can do when we work together.

"We have big plans for the pub to include a cafe, restaurant, shop and, with the cottage next door coming in as part of the sale, affordable housing for the village.

"It is so much more than a pub and will enhance the village and surrounding area."

The campaigners have had support from other successful community-owned pubs in the area, including the George and Dragon in Hudswell, near Richmond, and the Foresters Arms in Coverdale.

Mr Walker said the group hoped to get the pub open in November to give customers a flavour of what is to come – but that there was a lot to do.

"The pub has been unloved for many years so there's a lot of renovation work to do and we hope the community will be able to help with that."

There are around 120 investors in the pub, from individuals to businesses, and together they have raised around £340,000, including cash from grants from the Plunkett Foundation which supports community pubs.

Mr Walker added: "There are still opportunities to invest and get involved. This is just the beginning and we are very excited about getting started.

Rishi Sunak MP, the first investor in the community pub venture, said he was delighted to hear the purchase of the Green Dragon had been successfully completed.

He said: “I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in reaching this milestone so speedily. I look forward to the pub opening its doors to the community once more – a community which has done so much to ensure its future.”