Shropshire Star

Community-owned village inn near Bridgnorth wins award

Bosses at a community-owned village inn have said they are thrilled to have won an award for best social enterprise.

Published
Mark Harris,John Pickup and Sarah Cowley from The Pheasant at Neenton

The Pheasant, owned and run by Neenton Community Society, will now battle it out against regional winners from around the country in the national final to be held in Manchester in February 2020.

Rescued from dereliction and re-opened in 2014 by Neenton Community Society, the Pheasant is a classic country inn which seeks to serve some of the best food in Shropshire, yet is still the village local for those living in and around the village. The Pheasant provides employment for more than a dozen local young people, full or part-time under the guidance of managers Mark Harris, who’s the head chef, and Sarah Cowley.

John Pickup, chairman of Neenton Community Society said: "It’s really pleasing now to receive this prestigious award which recognizes the successful charitable social enterprise we’ve created.

“When the local community embarked on the monumental task of restoring and re-opening the Pheasant, this was always about much more than a pub. This was about creating an economic and social hub which could offer a sustainable future for a dying village.

"It was about regenerating a deprived rural area by creating jobs, helping young people develop their life skills and providing recreational facilities and amenities in a village which had nothing left, just houses.

Impressed

“To do this, our community has invested far, far more than the premises are worth as a pub, and continues to plough in thousands of hours of volunteer time every year.”

Mr Pickup said the society had put £500,000 into the pockets of young people working at the Pheasant.

“We’ll be adding over £150,000 each year going forward," he said. "Because we are constituted as a charitable society, every penny earned by the enterprise goes to pursuing the Society’s objects of reviving our rural area, and helping it thrive.”

Now in its fifth year, the Rural Business Awards is the only UK-wide programme dedicated to showcasing the success of rural businesses. It is run in partnership with Amazon.

“I’d like to congratulate all the businesses shortlisted and wish the Pheasant at Neenton the best of luck ahead of the national final in February.” said Doug Gurr Amazon UK Country Manager

The judges commented: "The Pheasant at Neenton is a fantastic project to bring life and funds back into the local village.

"We are very impressed and believe this project should be used as a template for future initiatives.

"The Pheasant at Neenton brings the community and wider area together for the best reason - to enjoy being a community."