The freehold of the Garibaldi in Bourne End was bought for £336,000 after more than 30 residents raised the necessary funds.
The Save the Garibaldi group is now looking to raise a further £30,000 to cover the site’s renovation process, and is on the hunt for a “dynamic and entrepreneurial tenant” to restore the pub as a food and real ale-led community local.
The group’s chairman James Robinson said: “Punch had put the pub on its disposal list and placed it on the market. We were all devastated about the possibility of losing the pub, so we looked at various options as to how we could save it.
“We subsequently got people together to find out how much money we could raise and it turned out that we had enough money between us, so we put an offer in [for the pub], and the deal was completed on 8 February.
“We are looking for an entrepreneurial tenant to restore the pub as a place where the community can come together and enjoy good food and a decent pint of real ale.
“We don’t want it to turn into a gastropub, but recognise the need to serve good quality food in harmony with a community meeting place, and we want that to be reflected in the offer.”
Prospective pub tenants are invited to email info@garibaldipub.co.uk or call 01189 214516.