 A much-loved village pub which shut down more than three years ago has reopened after locals banded together to save it. The Martyrs Inn in Tolpuddle, Dorset, closed down in February 2020 – but villagers will soon be raising a glass to their local boozer as it' has now reopened its doors's almost ready to reopen. 192 people raised £500,000 in under five weeks, and the limited company they formed took possession of the pub in April. Following months of refurbishment the pub will open on Friday, July 14 – coinciding with the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival. The historic village is the spiritual home of trade unions, as in 1834 six farm labourers met there to form a friendly society to fight for better pay and conditions. They were arrested and sentenced to seven years' transportation to Australia for taking an oath of secrecy. Their conviction caused public outrage and the 'martyrs' were pardoned two years later. The pub, named in their honour, has always been a popular spot during the annual festival, which attracts thousands of trade unionists to the tiny village. The Martyrs Inn opened in 1921 and was owned by the Hall & Woodhouse brewery until it was sold to a private owner in 2021. Barrie Lovelock came up with the plan to save the pub (Picture: BNPS) The pub has been completely refurbished inside (Picture: BNPS) Barrie Lovelock, a property developer who's lived in Tolpuddle for 20 years, came up with the idea for villagers to buy back their beloved pub. While 90% of the shareholders are locals, their campaign has had support from all over the country and even from as far away as Australia. Mr Lovelock, 76, said: 'I live in the village and own property here and have become part of the community. When the pub closed it was a blow for the community. 'Tolpuddle doesn't have a shop or a garage anymore so when the pub closed there was nothing really except housing. It's quite an esse){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
A much-loved village pub which shut down more than three years ago has reopened after locals banded together to save it.
The Martyrs Inn in Tolpuddle, Dorset, closed down in February 2020 – but villagers will soon be raising a glass to their local boozer as it’ has now reopened its doors’s almost ready to reopen.
192 people raised £500,000 in under five weeks, and the limited company they formed took possession of the pub in April.
Following months of refurbishment the pub will open on Friday, July 14 – coinciding with the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival.