Running a community-owned pub is no small feat—but with the right support, it can thrive. At The Dog Inn at Belthorn, we’re proud to be part of a growing movement of community-owned pubs across the UK. Since launching our venture, we’ve received incredible help from a variety of organisations, foundations, and individuals who believe in preserving vital local spaces like ours.
Our Supporters: Making Community Ownership Possible
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the following organisations for their ongoing support. Each has played a role in helping us keep The Dog Inn at the heart of our village life:
- Co-operative and Mutual Solutions Ltd
- The Plunkett Foundation – including its new £3.62 million programme aimed at helping communities save and run their local pubs
- Jubilee Tower Credit Union
- Aldrock Surveyors
- Farleys Solicitors
- Field‑sd
- Lancashire Environmental Fund
- WM and BW Lloyd Trust (Darwen)
- Leech Trust
- Big Lottery Fund
- Lancashire Telegraph
- The Bee
- BBC Radio Lancashire
- ITV Granada Reports
- Pub is the Hub
- Ribble Valley Luxury Homes
- Velocity
- Crown Paints
This collective effort has made our mission possible: to keep The Dog Inn as a thriving social hub for the community.
A Growing Movement: Community-Owned Pubs
The Dog Inn stands proudly alongside other pubs run by and for the community. There are currently 34 community-owned pubs in the UK, and remarkably, all of them are still in business. That’s living proof that when communities rally together, they can create sustainable, vibrant ventures.
Here are some of the inspiring pubs currently in the same network:
- The Ivy House, Nunhead (London) – London’s first co‑operatively owned pub
- George & Dragon, Hudswell – One of Yorkshire’s early community pubs
- Old Crown, Hesket Newmarket – England’s first co‑operative pub
- Fox & Hounds, Ennerdale Bridge – A community‑owned icon in the Lake District
- Pengwern Cymunedol, Blaenau Ffestiniog – A community‑run pub in Snowdonia
- Butchers Arms, Crosby Ravensworth – Community‑owned since 2011
The Future of The Dog Inn
We believe The Dog Inn represents more than just a pub—it’s a meeting point, a place for shared stories, and a symbol of what can be achieved when a community comes together.
With the continued backing of our supporters and the inspiration from fellow community pubs across the UK, we’re excited for what the future holds for The Dog Inn at Belthorn.