Our Community Project

A skilled, experienced and successful team of Holmer Green residents have established a Community Interest Company to turn vision into reality. Combining strong commercial backgrounds with long-standing community connections, they are guiding the project with professionalism, transparency and a shared commitment to securing the pub’s long term future. The CIC legally protects the pub via an “asset lock” so it must be run for community benefit, and cannot be sold off for housing or private profit.

A beautifully refurbished village pub and café offering great food and drink, warm hospitality, family-friendly spaces, events, live sport, themed nights, local suppliers, and a genuine community hub. A place to meet, relax, celebrate, work, socialise, laugh and belong.

A pub on the Common, for the common good.

We are raising up to £500,000 to:

• Secure a long-term lease once the freehold is purchased locally

• Undertake a full refurbishment of the pub, garden, kitchen and community areas

• Build a financially strong, sustainable pub business for the long term

• Reopen in Summer 2026.

Community pubs across the UK succeed because they are run by locals, for locals.

Our aim is to create a new village business, employing local people, turning over £500k within its first 3 years of trading, with a view to making an operating profit of £50k - £100k pa.

We have a vision for the pub that it can complement, support and enhance the hospitality offering across the local area. The CIC has been set up to provide new services to Holmer Green using the pub as the base. The Bat & Ball will co-exist with other pubs and hospitality venues in the village, providing new and exciting services.

A community pub is more than just a pub, we will create a multi-purpose community hub with diversified income streams:

Core Pub Trade:

● Traditional wet trade (beer, cider, spirits, coffee, soft drinks).

● Focus on local breweries and craft ales to differentiate and attract enthusiasts.

● Locally sourced food, simple menus based around a communal sharing concept.

Complementary Services:

● Live music, open-mic, quiz nights, film screenings, guided beer and wine tasting

● Venue hire for private functions, community meetings, training days

● Coworking, hot-desk space with Wi-Fi and Coffee packages

● Wellbeing yoga mornings, doggy days, book clubs, repair cafes, sewing sessions

● Sustainability projects with solar energy, EV chargers, allotment

● Training and upskilling, hospitality apprenticeships, barista skills, social inclusion programmes

Annual Events Calendar:

Engage, support and enhance existing and new community events such as:

● Music on the Common

● Christmas on the Common

● Summer fairs

● Bat & Ball Sporting events

✔ Wimbledon on the Common! Strawberries, champagne and the big screen

✔ FA Cup Final Day

✔ Six Nations Final Weekend

✔ T20 Blast Final

Sustainable Business Strategies:

● Membership Loyalty Schemes – discounts for community shareholders, or a “Friends of the Bat & Ball” card.

● Volunteer Programme – rota of locals helping with gardening, events, maintenance.

● Seasonal Campaigns – “Adopt a barrel”, “Buy a brick” for refurbishments.

● Zero-waste initiatives - composting, local sourcing

The CIC need to raise up to £500k to renovate the pub. If you feel compelled to learn more about how you can help and potentially invest, then please become a Friend of the Bat and Ball using the sign up form below. The CIC leadership team will follow up with members only information, news and offers.

By choosing to become a “Friend of The Bat & Ball” today, you are helping to secure the future of our village pub. You are backing a project that strengthens our community, protects a precious landmark, and creates a space that Holmer Green can be proud of for decades to come.

Together, we can save the Bat & Ball and breathe new life into our village.