THE share offer to raise funds to buy, refurbish and reopen The Britannia Inn on Bath Road, Wells, will open on Saturday, April 5.
That is the same day as the drop-in meeting at St Thomas’ Church Hall when more information will be available about the project to save the pub.
The Britannia Inn – or ‘the Brit’ as it was fondly known – closed in June 2021 when landlords Rob and Karen Rouse retired after 35 years. It has been empty ever since, and is currently for sale with the Caldecotte Group for £300,000.
The East Wells Community Benefit Society (CBS) was set up last year with the aim of buying the pub and re-establishing it at the heart of the local community.
The community share offer is seeking to raise about £450,000 to pay for the purchase, and the repair and refurbishment work required.
From April 5, applications for community shares in the East Wells CBS can be made online at www.savethebritanniainnwells.org, or paper copies of the application form will be available at the drop-in meeting.
Shares will be priced at £1 each, with a minimum investment of £50, and a maximum of £25,000. The share offer is due to close on May 30, though if it fails to reach the initial target the East Wells CBS may decide to extend the offer for a further month.
The Society’s Business Plan and Share Offer Prospectus will be available to read at www.savethebritanniainnwells.org
There will be a copy of both documents at the St Thomas’ Church Hall drop-in meeting on April 5, when residents are welcome to call in any time between 2pm and 6pm to view display boards about the project and talk to members of the East Wells CBS steering group.
Refreshments will be available to buy, including tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol from the licensed bar.
The East Wells CBS vision is to recreate a welcoming pub and hub at the heart of East Wells, owned and run for the benefit of the community, where a variety of activities take place.
The Chair of the steering group, Councillor Theo Butt Philip, said: “The opening of the share offer gives us all an opportunity to club together and buy the Brit, so that it can once again become a vibrant community pub for East Wells.
“I know we need to raise substantial funds for this project to work, but I also know how much people want to see the Brit reopened and I’m hopeful that our community will come good and find the money we need to make this project happen.”
Last year, The Britannia Inn was registered as an Asset of Community Value by Somerset Council, following an application by Wells City Council, because of its importance to the local community.
In a consultation conducted in 2024 through Wells Voice and online, 90 per cent of respondents said that it is important or very important to have a local pub in East Wells.
The Save the Britannia campaign has the backing of Wells and Mendip Hills MP Tessa Munt, and the Bishop of Bath & Wells, the Rt Rev Michael Beasley. There have been many other messages of support for the campaign from local people. In a typical comment, one said: “The Britannia Inn was highly valued for its hospitality, great food and drink as well as being ideally located to walk to from our home. We really do miss it.”
• Picture: Some of the members of the East Wells Community Benefit Society steering group showing their support for The Britannia Inn