The organisation, which supports community businesses across the UK, said pubs run under community ownership are proving resilient as commercial operators continue to retreat from some rural locations.
James Alcock, chief executive of Plunkett UK, told The Morning Advertiser (MA) that local ownership can create businesses that are more responsive to demand and better embedded within their communities.
“Time and again, we see pubs doing better when they are community-owned,” he said. “Local people have a genuine say in shaping what the pub offers.
“These businesses are rooted in their communities and reflect what local people want and need, making them more likely to be used by a wider range of people.”
Alcock said many sites become “more than a pub”, hosting additional services, events and activities while prioritising long-term community value.
He added that this model, alongside local investment and governance, had helped underpin a long-term survival rate of around 99%.
Rural closures drive interest
Plunkett said demand for the model is rising as larger operators and pub companies continue to exit rural areas.
“In the last 12 months alone, we started working with over 80 rural communities seeking to save their local pub,” Alcock said. “Community-owned pubs are now the fastest growing type of community business we support.”
The group is currently supporting more than 400 start-up community pub projects.
Cost pressures remain
Despite their resilience, Alcock warned community pubs still face many of the same pressures affecting the wider sector, including rising energy costs, inflation, staffing challenges and business rates increases.
“Rural pubs also face lower footfall and higher costs of goods and services,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important for community pubs to become multi-purpose assets and to keep evolving in line with local needs.”
He added that access to governance support, realistic business planning and ongoing advice remained critical to long-term success.
Plunkett has launched a £100,000 national crowdfunder to support communities looking to acquire and run local pubs.
Alcock said the funding would help provide expert helpline advice, one-to-one specialist support and training for volunteer directors.
“It helps communities move from facing closure to owning and running their pub themselves, and doing so sustainably,” he said.
