Latest news with #IckletonLion
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Community-owned pub Lion at Ickleton holds grand reopening
Residents have raised a toast at the grand reopening of the last remaining pub in their village after raising £440,000 to save Ickleton Lion - now known as the Lion - near Cambridge and Saffron Walden in Essex, was put up for sale by Greene King in 2023.A community benefit society was set up to buy the pub, which first opened in 1728, and an effort to refurbish the building got under way in Willmott, 93, who has lived in Ickleton all her life, said she hoped the pub would continue to be "the life and soul of the village". The pub had previously begun serving drinks for limited periods of time, so it could "test the taps".Rachel Radford, chair of the community group, said everybody was "really excited" for the pub to open properly."It's just been an amazing community get-together," she said."It's going to be a gradual opening as we manage to recruit staff, and it will build and build and build, but we are so thrilled."Organisers said about 400 members of the community group and Ickleton residents went along to the official opening day. Ms Willmott, who helped pop the cork to mark the official reopening, said while the village was "quite busy" nowadays, it was still "a lovely place to live".Toasting the opening of the pub, she said: "It's always been the hub of the village - even going back to during the war."I hope it will continue as the life and soul of the village." Roland Perry, a supporter of the campaign to reopen the lion, said: "Pubs like this, as a community asset, are so, so important."Too many of them have been turned into family homes and they really ought to continue as pubs - particularly if it's the last pub in the village." Pippa Heylings, the Liberal Democrat MP for South Cambridgeshire, was also helping to pull pints on the opening said: "Working on community projects like this - I can't imagine anything else that I would much rather be doing when I'm out in the constituency."Volunteers spent hundreds of hours restoring the Lion since getting the keys just before comes after 415 people invested in the pub, including from overseas, to raise more than £440,000 in 10 weeks to buy the building, which had sat empty for more than a year."They just want to own a bit of an English pub – who wouldn't?" added campaign chair Ms pub is expected to open to the public from 12:00 BST on Wednesday. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ickleton Lion pub calls for help with renovations after 50k grant
Villagers who rallied together to buy the last remaining pub in their area are appealing for 300-year-old Ickleton Lion, situated between Cambridge and Saffron Walden, Essex, was bought by a community benefit society last year. Since collecting the keys, the Ickleton Lionhearted group said they had received a cash boost of more than £50k from three grants to support the pub's renovation. Committee member, Jo Hancock, said the money would provide the tools and equipment to get the pub ready, but they still "desperately" needed more volunteers and power to pull it all together in time for summer. The committee said hopes for a pint or two in the sunshine this summer were a step closer to reality for rallied together to raise more than £440,000 in 10 weeks to buy the pub, which had sat empty for more than a year. Since receiving the keys, villagers and owners of the pub have been volunteering hundreds of hours to restore the Lion on a tight has since received a grant of £26,464 from the Thalia WB Community Fund to buy brand new kitchen equipment.A grant of £22,458 was also given as part of the Net Zero Villages Grant scheme and £1,844 was provided through a Community Radford, chair of the Lionhearted community group, said: "These grants are a game-changer and will allow us to realise the full potential of the pub and garden. "We now have the funds to achieve our vision for the Ickleton Lion as a sustainable business that can serve the community for years to come. "With this funding, we can provide a comfortable, welcoming environment for both staff and customers, making the pub a thriving hub for socialising, dining, and community events."More than 70 volunteers have worked on the pub, but there is still "huge amounts of work left to be done", said Ms Hancock."If you've got a spare few hours to join the Lion Crew and help with painting and decorating, DIY and repairs, garden work, cleaning or general handywork, please do email us." Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
