A COMMUNITY initiative to buy Milverton’s last remaining public house is almost a quarter of the way towards its fund-raising target, organisers announced in an update this week.

The Milverton Community Benefit Society needs £580,000 to purchase and renovate the Globe Inn, which is being sold by Mark and Adele Tarry after they had run it for 18 years.

The society was set up last year after consultation with villagers to gauge the level of support for a move to turn it into a community-owned pub along similar lines to the New Inn, in nearby Halse.

The society has been selling £100 shares to help raise funds, and a spokesperson said: “If everybody in the village bought just four shares, we would be well on the way to achieving our goal.”

The spokesperson said an application had been made for a Government Levelling Up Fund grant of £300,000, which would see the society reach 75 per cent of its fund-raising target.

They said an offer could not be made to Mr and Mrs Tarry until the target had been reached.

The closing date for purchasing shares is May 10.

The spokesperson said: “Together, we can make Milverton an even better place to live, work, and thrive.”

Villagers are being encouraged to read the latest version of the society’s business plan and give their thoughts on it.

They are also being asked to attend a series of in-person question and answer sessions to shortly be held in the village’s Victoria Rooms.