This is the successful outcome of a year’s effort by the community to purchase The Bell and to raise the necessary funds by buying shares in the pub.  The original lower target was to raise £200,000 by selling shares. In the end we broke our upper target of £300,000.  With a commercial loan and extra grant funding of from the Government’s Community Ownership Fund, our vision has finally become a reality and will allow us to deliver the full potential of our original vision.  Its 258 shareholders are now its proud owners.

Community Group chairman, Tony Bird, said: “We are absolutely overwhelmed by the huge amount of support in Frisby and surrounding areas for reopening the pub. We started work way back in March, 2021 and it was exactly a year to the day later that we were actually able to buy the pub”.

Roy Carryer, the Shares Officer for the group said “It was a big challenge but we have been delighted with the response. We have shareholders from as far away as the US and Australia.”

Steve Hardy, Operations Director for the Community Group feels that one of the most important elements of the plan was to employ the right team to run the pub: ‘We wanted experienced professionals, not willing volunteers. The pub has to run as a commercial business, so it needs a strong management team that understands our vision to run The Bell as a community hub and as a traditional village pub with traditional values.’

The Bell re-opened its doors on Thursday 28th April 2022 with the bar filled with thirsty customers. 

Opening the doors is only the start. Work will continue on the exterior and developing the courtyard area.  The pub will be a community hub, welcoming locals and visitors to enjoy the hospitality, good food, banter and of course a tipple whether it’s in the bar or ultimately in what will become a café!