THE volunteer group leading the campaign to buy back Ponsanooth’s last pub through a community share offer took over the Stag Hunt Inn for the whole of April, opening from Wednesday to Sunday to show what a community owned pub could look like in practice.

Ponsanooth Community Benefit Society (PCBS) held a weekend beer festival on Saturday and Sunday (April 25 and 26) to raise vital funds towards purchasing the pub’s freehold.

The community-led initiative aims to raise at least £300,000 to buy the Stag Hunt Inn and safeguard its future as a welcoming, traditional village hub for generations to come.

So far this month, the team has trained local volunteers and young people in licence compliance, cellar management and bar work, giving them a first step into the hospitality industry; re-established the pub as a community hub by hosting the village book club, a police drop-in, games afternoons, bingo and poker sessions, live music and free pool for young people; and reintroduced a simple food offer, including a family-friendly pancake brunch, homemade soup and bread, cakes and hot drinks.

The Stag Hunt Inn Beer Festival featured beers from local breweries Treen’s, Dynamite Valley, Verdant and Skinners (with Betty Stogs herself in attendance) alongside live performances from The Lemonaire Shanty Singers, family activities and food.

PCBS chair Sam Fitch said: “The response has been incredible. Old regulars and new faces are back in the pub, and it already feels like the heart of a thriving village once again. Since opening for the April takeover, we’ve seen a significant uplift in support and have now raised almost £125,000 from over 100 community investors towards our £300,000 minimum target to bring the pub into community ownership.

“We’re encouraging local residents and supporters to consider investing in the community share offer to help secure the pub’s long-term future in community hands.”