The Great Chishill community is banding together to attempt to buy the only pub in the village, which closed in October last year.

Before closing its doors, The Pheasant pub had been a popular venue for many years – it was put on the open market in September 2020.

The pub in Heydon Road is listed as an Asset of Community Value and it’s understood offers have been made and rejected.

In the background, a group of like-minded villagers have been working to launch a community bid for the pub.

They have set up a company called The Great Chishill Community Pub Ltd and have engaged The Plunkett Foundation, a charity that was founded 101 years ago and specialises in helping people acquire and run community assets.

Two questionnaires have been sent to those living in the village to canvas opinion on what they would like to happen to the pub.

Group chairperson Tim Scott said: “We undertook a survey in the summer and the results indicated that 80 per cent of people who responded would like the pub to be maintained as a community pub should no appropriate buyer come forward. The Pheasant used to be a tremendous asset to the village and was supported by local businesses, community groups, village B&Bs and sporting groups such as the cricket and football club. It is very sad to see it closed.

“It would be fantastic to have it open again and to return it to the very successful village hub it once was.”

If the Great Chishill bid is successful, it would follow in the footsteps of The Three Tuns in Guilden Morden.

The Grade II-listed hostelry is now owned by the community thanks to the efforts of the Guilden Morden Community Pub group.

More than 260 investments, grants and loans were awarded under the More Than A Pub programme by the Plunkett Foundation and it reopened in 2019.

The Cabinet in Reed is also the subject of a long-running community campaign, by the Save the Cabinet group. It is currently being used as part Indian restaurant and part residential dwelling.

For more information about The Great Chishill Community Pub Ltd, go to www.greatchishillcommunitypub.co.uk.