RESIDENTS fighting a battle to save a village pub are making great strides towards their goal of buying the property as a community asset.

Those living in Gussage All Saints and the surrounding villages have thrown their weight behind the campaign to save the Drovers Inn after learning it was to be closed for good and turned into a residential property.

And in just a few short months they have achieved great success - and are calling for supporters from the wider East Dorset area to help.

It is hoped that the pub can be purchased for the benefit of locals, tourists and regular visitors and campaigner Sally Marlow said the aim was to keep the traditional venue going for generations to come.

In mid-May, an open meeting was held to invite pledges for the community purchase, with the official launch date of the community share offer set for Friday, May 22. More than 50 people attended the meeting, where audience members watched a presentation giving full details of the pub’s viability, as well as learning about campaigners' business plans.

Signed pledges to invest in the project are now being received from those who attended, as well as from others who were unable to make the meeting but support the project.

Sally said: "Each shareholder will be entitled to an equal vote in the society, regardless of how much they invest, and they will be a co-owner of a village pub."

Members of the team have registered the Gussage Community Benefit Society Limited with the Financial Conduct Association, and their share prospectus is being reviewed by the Community Share Unit to follow best practice.

The society, managed by a steering group of nine residents, has been established in order to buy the freehold premises, financed by the community share offer, in addition to grants and commercial loans already have approval in principle.

They will recruit an experienced tenant to run the inn as a profitable business.

Sally said: "Once again the heart and soul of village life will be restored.

"The many visitors to the Cranborne Chase Area Of Natural Beauty will be able to 'park, walk and lunch' as they used to do.

"The date of the planning application hearing for 'change of use to a house' is further delayed until June 23, while the council review the latest comprehensive and positive report undertaken for the society by Qualified Chartered Surveyors Stonesmith, who specialise in the licensed trade."

North Dorset-based Sixpenny Brewery has already donated a cask of its award-winning real ale, which was gratefully received at the meeting.

For more information, visit droversinngussage.com, or to find out more about becoming a shareholder, email sally.marlow@btconnect.com or lesandmalmadell@btinternet.com