Residents in Limpley Stoke have until January 28 to help save their village pub.

The Hop Pole in Woods Hill was put on the open market last summer with an asking price of £325,000 plus VAT.

Four residents, Lucy Poloniecka, Nick and Sally Humpston, and James Sibson, made a £220,000 plus VAT bid which was rejected.

They now want to form the Limpley Stoke Community Benefit Society to buy and renovate the pub. The group have already registered the 16th century inn with Wiltshire Council as an Asset of Community Value.

They are hoping to gain £250,000 from the government's Community Ownership Fund and then raise further funds by selling 400,000 £1 shares to local residents.

They said: "The failure to find a buyer in the open market by July 23 last year means that a community body was able to give notice to Wiltshire Council of its intention to make a bid by September 8, 2021.

"Wiltshire Council then triggered a ‘full moratorium’ period, meaning no sale can take place, up to January 28, 2022.

"This period is intended to allow our community time to raise funding and put together a credible bid to buy the asset.

"The plan would be to establish a Community Benefit Society to apply for the Government funding and to raise the additional sums needed to buy and renovate the Hop Pole."

The group estimate they will need up to £400,000 to buy and renovate the pub, which lies close to the Kennet & Avon Canal.

To gauge the level of interest, they have issued a questionnaire - https://mailchi.mp/de8f3a9e5f3e/lspc-emails-13473795 - which they are urging residents to complete by January 10.

The group added: "Time is short and crucially we need to hear from as many people as possible with confirmation of their willingness, in principle, to buy shares in the LSCBS.

"If there is sufficient interest we can then form the necessary steering group to move things forward.

"Please send expressions of support to replycbs@gmail.com"