SOUTH Norwood residents are looking to open their own completely community-run pub to help push regeneration forward.
A newly formed community group has been meeting to discuss the possibility of opening a pub which could meet the needs of everyone in the community.
The plan has been backed by the council, which is willing to support the venture and help the group find premises.
One of the models the group is looking to use is The Ivy House, in Nunhead, which has had great success as London's first co-operatively owned pub.
A group of Nunhead locals formed a plan to save their treasured pub and used the community Right to Bid element of the Localism Act, managing to raise £810,000 to buy the premises.
Further money was raised by issuing shares to locals who wanted to become stakeholders in the pub.
Group member Hannah Pemberton said: "We want to create a pub that will serve quality food and beers to the community and help act as a beacon of positivity for the area; encouraging other interesting, diverse and quality businesses to come to South Norwood."
Mrs Pemberton said the venture would be staffed and paid for through turnover and that the idea was not – unless they wanted to – to have community members behind the bar.
However, initial meetings of the group have been attended by as many as 50 people and there is a real positivity surrounding the project.
Mrs Pemberton added: "Regeneration in South Norwood is a hot topic with many supporters. A core active group of us felt it was the perfect time to get our own project off the ground to benefit the community. We believe the potential for the project and the area is immense."
Paul Scott, councillor for Woodside, has attended some of the meetings, and says he fully backs the plan. He said: "One of the things that's really positive about this group is they want a pub that really works for as many people in the community as possible.
"So it might be in the morning it is more of a café where toddlers groups can meet, at lunchtime it's more of a gastropub and then in the evening it is a bit more of a good old local boozer. It's also important as well that it sells some fantastic beers."
South Norwood has lost more than ten pubs in the last ten years, with recent additions to the casualty list in The Portmanor and The Ship.
For anyone who wants to get involved, visit southnorwoodcommunitypub.co.uk where you can sign up for email updates.
