A COMMUNITY pub near Wem has moved a step closer to being saved after a local community group announced it has secured finance to purchase the pub.

The Horse and Jockey in Ellesmere Road in Northwood closed after the pub had become too expensive to run for the previous landlords, leading to the group the Friends of the Horse and Jockey being set up to save it.

Now the group has announced via social media that it has raised its funding target to rescue the beloved watering hole, and is looking forward to entering constructive talks with the sellers.

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Lesley Mitchell from Friends of the Horse and Jockey said: "A very big thank you to everybody who has pledged and bought shares to help with the purchase of our village pub.

"We are very pleased to say that we have secured finance to purchase the pub and we are very much looking forward to being able to enter into constructive talks with the vendors.

"Anyone who has yet to purchase their shares is still able to do so by completing the form or by contacting Louise Paton directly on lap@vetsos.co.uk

"We will keep you all updated as the negotiations progress."

Group spokesperson Louise Paton said the pub plays an important role for the local community.

"We have really good relations in the village with the Northwood Methodist chapel and it allows us to use its chapel for a number of village events," she said.

"But obviously as a chapel, there are certain types of village events which it is not suitable for and nor would we want to impose on the chapel things which it is not set up to do.

"The only other community venue which was incredibly attended and well loved was the pub."

She added: "It was a proper local pub, but it also had really rich visiting groups.

"There were people from nearby campsites and there were people who came to visit people in the village from different areas of the country and it has been very loved by a huge range of people."

Louise was heartened by the support shown by people in the area to the campaign to save the pub.

She said: "We have been very lucky to have lots of support.

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"We have had unanimous support from Wem Rural Parish Council.

"We have been really hearted by the local and wider support."

You can follow the latest via https://www.facebook.com/groups/