Cheers! The community campaign to buy and re-open The Silks on the Downs pub at Ogbourne St Andrew, near Marlborough, has been awarded £237,500 by the government.

And now the pub could be open again in the summer.

For two years residents of the Ogbourne St Andrew, Rockley and Ogbourne Maizey hamlets have been fundraising to save the pub after it shut at the start of the pandemic. They have now raised £240,000.

That money has now been matched by the government through its Community Ownership Fund, which is designed to help save pubs in rural areas.

The Silks, as it is known locally, has not opened its doors since the pandemic struck in March 2020. However, the owner offered the community the opportunity to buy the pub, renovate it and run it for the benefit of the community.

The campaign to save the pub was supported by Devizes constituency MP Danny Kruger, who said: “I passionately believe in the power of communities coming together to achieve things they could not do alone. The campaign to save and buy the Silks is a great example of this.”

In announcing the cash award, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “In rural Wiltshire, a pub that has stood at the heart of the communities of the Ogbourne Saint Andrew, Maizey and Rockley hamlets for over 100 years has been thrown a lifeline with an investment of £237,500.

"The Silks pub is the only place that locals can get together, making it vital to the lives, wellbeing, and economy of the community.”

Simon Basford, spokesman for the Silks campaign, said: “We are absolutely delighted at the success of our application for funding, it means we can now move forward to complete a purchase.”

Mr Basford said that a pub manager would shortly be appointed and that it was hoped that the Silks could be open for the summer.

The community is now busy refurbishing the Silks, updating the kitchen and installing new disabled access and toilets with baby-changing facilities and smartening up the garden – and supporters of the pub-saving project are appealing for help.

“To keep costs down we would hugely appreciate it if people could help us with the refurbishment by providing services, materials and their time. Any help from those with a specialist skill, like plumbers, electricians or gardeners, would be great,” said Mr Basford.

Those who can help can contact the campaign team at info@savethesilks.org