WHAT WE ARE DOING TO SAVE IT AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
DONATE: CROWDFUNDER – SAVE THE KENLEY HOTEL
Communities Must Act to Save Britain’s Pubs — Before They’re Lost
Social data scientist Lauren Leek’s recent analysis shows the scale of the problem. Britain has already lost 14,000 pubs in the last two decades. That’s not nostalgia talking — it’s data. And it’s accelerating :
“Britain went from 54,000 registered pubs to under 40,000. Over 14,000 gone. A quarter of the total.”
But behind the numbers is something deeper: the slow dismantling of the places where community happens.
The Real Reason Pubs Are Disappearing
It’s easy to blame changing habits or supermarket alcohol. But Lauren’s research shows something different:
“Pubs don’t die because of what’s inside them. They die because of what’s around them.”
Read Lauren’s full analysis:
Britain Lost 14,000 Third Places. They Were Called Pubs. Is Your Local Next?
Her model found the strongest predictor of closure wasn’t beer quality, pricing, or footfall — it was isolation. When a pub loses its neighbours, it becomes vulnerable. When one closes, the next becomes isolated. This is the spatial death spiral.
And it’s not random. Ownership decisions, especially by large pubcos, often create that isolation. When pubs sit empty, they don’t stay empty — they decay, they attract vandalism, and communities lose them forever.
Kenley Is Choosing a Different Path
In Kenley, we saw the same risk emerging. A historic building. A pub at risk. A community worried it would become another boarded up shell or demolished.
WE ARE TAKING ACTION NOW
- Asset of Community Value (ACV) secured
- Community Benefit Society (CBS) formed
- Residents mobilised
- Clear demand demonstrated
We’re now raising funds to buy the Kenley Hotel for the community — protecting it from the same fate as thousands of others.
DONATE: CROWDFUNDER – SAVE THE KENLEY HOTEL
Community ownership isn’t a romantic idea. It’s a proven model.
“Community-owned pubs have grown 63% in five years… Ownership stays local. Profits get reinvested.”
It works because it removes the extractive pressures that close pubs and replaces them with local stewardship.
Where the £10,000 Starter Fund Goes — A Transparent Breakdown
Before any community can launch a full share offer to buy a pub, it must cover a set of essential early- stage costs. These are the foundations that make the project legally compliant, financially credible, and ready for investment. The £10,000 Starter Fund is designed to cover exactly these “first steps”.
1. Legal & Governance Setup — £2,500
To establish a regulated Community Benefit Society (CBS), we must complete legal registration, draft governing documents, secure specialist advice on asset transfer, and ensure compliance. This creates the legal structure that allows the community to invest safely.
2. Financial & Business Planning — £2,000
Funders and regulators require a robust business plan before any share offer can launch. This includes financial modelling, market analysis, operating cost projections, and early viability assessments. It ensures the project is credible and investable.
3. Surveying, Valuation & Building Assessments — £2,000
Before buying any building, the community needs professional due diligence: condition surveys, valuation guidance, risk assessments, and early refurbishment cost estimates. This prevents hidden liabilities and protects future investors.
4. Community Engagement & Public Consultation — £1,500
To demonstrate demand and build local support, we must run resident surveys, public meetings, workshops, and outreach. These activities are essential for grant applications, share offer approval, and long term community backing.
5. Marketing, Communications & Campaign Launch — £1,000
A successful community buyout needs visibility. This covers branding, design, website updates, social media content, video production (including the ACV reel), flyers, posters, and local advertising. It ensures every household knows what’s happening.
6. CBS Administration & Early Operational Costs — £1,000
This includes insurance, banking setup, accounting support, filing fees, and essential tools for managing data and communications. These costs keep the CBS compliant and functioning during its critical early months.
Total: £10,000 — The Engine That Starts the Journey
This fund does not buy the building. It enables the community to launch the share offer that will buy the building.
It is the starter engine — the groundwork that every successful community ownership project must complete before raising larger capital.
How YOU Can Help
We are ready. The community is organised. The ACV is in place. The CBS is live. The building is at risk — but not yet lost.
Now we need partners who believe in protecting the places that hold communities together.
If your organisation supports social infrastructure, community ownership, or local regeneration, we’d welcome a conversation.
Let’s save the Kenley Hotel before it becomes another statistic. Let’s show what happens when a community chooses action over decline.
