When the last pub and shop in Stoke St Gregory closed, a community of just 950 people didn’t mourn the loss – they mobilised. Through a determined village effort, residents raised over £200,000 and transformed The Royal Oak into a thriving community-run pub, café, shop, and meeting place. Now known as The Royal Oak Pub-Hub, it is a shining example of what can be achieved when people unite to protect and rebuild rural social infrastructure.

What they did

Led by the Heart of the Village Project (HOTV), local volunteers:

• Raised £200,000 in community shares and triggered additional grant funding totalling £471,000.
• Purchased and refurbished the pub, integrating the village shop and café into the building.
• Relocated the shop from a shipping container into the pub, creating a sustainable future for local retail access.
• Transformed The Royal Oak into a multi-functional hub, offering:
  • A skittle alley and function room for language classes, social groups, and events.
  • Café hosting Knit & Natter groups, motorcycle meets, rambler groups, and more.
  • A new book corner for swapping and donating books.
  • Full accessibility for care home visits and local charities.

Volunteers contributed their skills in painting, plastering, gardening, and ongoing management, creating a vibrant space that serves locals, tourists, walkers, cyclists, and dog owners alike.

The community reaction

The transformation has been life-changing for the village. Residents describe it as “a different village now,” with stronger connections, reduced isolation, and a renewed sense of community pride. The Hub is where people come to socialise, celebrate, grieve, and find comfort – it is the social, emotional, and practical centre of village life.

Impact

The Pub-Hub has:

• Revived the village’s social scene post-pandemic.
• Provided vital services (shop, café, post office access) in a rural setting.
• Supported mental wellbeing through inclusive, intergenerational activity.
• Created a space for volunteering, social care, and personal growth.
• Become a national model for sustainable rural development.

Summary

The Royal Oak in Stoke St Gregory is more than a building – it’s a symbol of community strength. By refusing to let their pub and shop disappear, this small village created a beacon of resilience, compassion, and innovation. It is a Pub-Hub in the truest sense – and the very definition of what it means to be a community pub hero.

This good news story is brought to you by PubAid’s Positive PUBlicity Hub