Community in Cheshire buy back Golden Lion pub after it closed its doors 11 years ago

Granada Reports journalist Claire Hannah was with the residents as they opened the door for the first time

A pub at the heart of a community which shut its doors more than a decade ago will now re-open - after the community rallied together to buy it.

The Golden Lion in the Cheshire village of Ashton Hayes closed without warning on New Year's day 2013, with not a single person passing through its front doors since.

But, refusing the let the heart of the village disappear, residents and former regulars joined forces to buy shares in the pub, and began raising money.

After a decade the community is now proudly the owner of the pub once more, receiving the keys for their first look at the untouched building.

"We've had 11 years of trials and tribulations...but we are finally here," said Hugo Deymen, chairman of the community benefit society that bought the pub.

"We have it in community ownership.

"We now own it but we still need to do some really effective fundraising to get enough money in to complete the refurbishment."

Tinsel is still strung across the bar as it did when it first closed its doors. Credit: ITV Granada Reports

As the Golden Lion was the only pub in the village campaigners received a government grant from the Levelling Up fund - but still needed to raise at least £180,000.

They then used an initiative where people could buy shares in the pub, with the landlord agreeing to sell.

Mr Deymen continued: "We've had share applications in from Australia, you don't have to live in the village, you can live anywhere and buy a share in the Golden Lion pub."

The committee are ecstatic to get their pub back. Credit: ITV Granada Reports

Ken Hartley has been on the committee for more than 10 years.

"It's remarkable really, the condition that it's in, it's amazing. I mean there are empty bottles and glasses all over the place...we're truly amazed!" said Mr Hartley.

"This village has been so creative in doing what's its doing and this will be the third project that it's been successful in.

"We had the shop and the second thing we did was a recreational field, and this is our third. We're a super village."

The pub needs a lot of work doing to restore it Credit: ITV Granada

Though it's been bought to re-open as a pub, it's now their space to do whatever they like with it.

"It's crucial to the village that it has a meeting point, whether people use it long term, it's open for the village to decide what to do it...we can do lots of things with it," continued Mr Hartley.

Campaigners are hoping The Golden Lion will be open by Christmas 2024, and are already planning the resurrect some of the old menus for their opening night.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...