Royal visit for community pub saved from bankruptcy

Members of the local community and Pub is the Hub chief executive John Longden showed the Prince around the pub.

The George and Dragon closed in 2008 after the owners went bankrupt at the height of the credit crunch. Regulars formed a co-operative to purchase the pub and set about refurbishing it before it reopened in 2010.

The pub now has a library, village shop, allotment and provides internet access for the local community.

A spokesperson for the Hudswell Community Pub Ltd said: “With the shop, allotment, library and internet access the community group have created a hub of services that make the George and Dragon a real hive of village activity that has helped to create a more cohesive and friendly community in the village, in which far more people are involved.

Sales at the pub have been consistently 50% higher than anticipated.

Pubs have proved a popular haunt for the Prince of Wales, who has made five pub visits in the last three months.