A campaign group is attempting to reopen a pub in south Bristol by raising the funds needed to buy it.
The steering group formed of volunteers will need to raise a minimum of £300,000 to purchase The Windmill in Windmill Hill, which closed in March, with a little more than one month to reach its target.
Save The Windmill is asking people to pledge between £50 and £25,000 with those who donate larger sums earning more shares in the Community Benefit Society, should the campaign prove successful.
Anyone who donates will be a co-owner of The Windmill’s assets, in the same way people who invested in Old Market venue Exchange to become community owned back in October 2018 are.
The Windmill closed in March after its long-serving owner Mike Cranney, whose firm also runs the Lazy Dog in Ashley Down and the Pipe and Slippers in Montpelier, decided to move on.
In April a planning application to turn the pub into flats was rejected by Bristol City Council.
The crowdfunder to purchase the pub has so far raised £50,000 from nearly 100 investors, with campaigners confident they will be able to reach the required target.
"It's got off to a really strong start and it's good to see people putting in large amounts," said Phoebe Smart, a member of Save The Windmill.
"This is our one shot to buy the pub and we really hope we manage to do it. We would love the building to remain a pub rather than becoming flats, which would be terrible for Windmill Hill.
"It's such a brilliant pub and a really welcoming space. To us it feels like a cosy country pub in the city and it's a key asset of the area.
"We're hugely passionate about saving The Windmill and we feel confident we'll be able to do it if this level of support continues."
If the crowdfunder does not reach its target, those who have pledged will be refunded.
The group is receiving support from the Plunkett Foundation, a charity whose work involves helping communities across the UK save under-threat pubs and other community assets.
"It is always extremely sad for a community to see a much loved local pub, such as The Windmill, close its doors - but it doesn’t have to be the end of the story," said a spokesperson for the charity.
"Up and down the country we have seen both rural and urban pubs saved through community ownership.
"There are now 112 community pubs trading in the UK and they offer so much more than a pint - from hosting events, to fitness classes, health services and clubs - activities that make a difference to residents and meet needs within each community."
For more information about the campaign and to donate, visit the Crowdfunder page.
