MEMBERS of a Somerset community have joined together to re-open their historic village pub nine months after it closed.

Report by Wilkin on work experience at the County Gazette.

Residents in Alhampton, near Castle Cary, will be able to pop down to their local for a drink and a meal when it starts up again towards the end of July.

The Allhampton Inn shut last October due to economic pressures, but is now preparing to welcome back customers as a community-run pub within weeks.

Jeremy Burks, chairman of the Alhampton Community Pub Ltd, said: “From the first moment, the whole community piled in to revive The Ally.”

“The closure last year left a yawning gap for all of us, but thanks to this massive effort, we will restore the heart and soul of the village and once again we’re ready to welcome everyone.!”

The Aly has been a focal point of the village for more than 270 years and its Knave of Clubs sign is being reinstated.

David Miskin, of the Plunkett Foundation, said: "Buying a pub isn't just about saving a building.

"It's about creating a community and a place that gives the people and the area it serves a wealth of benefits.

“It's somewhere that future generations will also be able to enjoy thanks to the community-owned pubs' 96 per cent survival rate.

"If you have the opportunity to get involved in your community pub, go for it.

"They are very special places that will always be there for you, no matter who you are or how old you are.

"The team leading the efforts to save the Alhampton Inn for the community have worked exceptionally hard, and with remarkable speed, to deliver this once-in-a-life time opportunity."