VILLAGERS hoping to buy their local pub are appealing for more people to join the venture.

A group of residents from Hillesley are trying to raise £400,000 to buy The Fleece, their village’s only pub after it was put up for sale last autumn.

Last October The Fleece, along with 36 other pubs across the country, went up for sale after Retail and Licensed Properties No6 went into administration.

Within a month of the announcement villagers formed a committee to try to save the pub.

Four couples, Gavin and Julie Bailey, Lance and Angela Doughty, Dean and Heather Gigg, and Nigel and Alwyn Vaughan, who all live in Hillesley, are now leading the community bid.

However, the group need to raise £400,000 if their dream is to become a reality.

The money will buy the Fleece, cover professional costs and allow the group to do some work on the pub and stock it.

So far 70 people have pledged money to buy shares in the venture, which will be known as The Hillesley Community Pub Ltd. There would be a small board of directors and a manager appointed.

Nigel Vaughan, spokesman for the group, said: "We have progressed pretty well but we are still looking for a little bit more financial support.

"We urgently need some more investors and we are reaching out to anyone who would like to help us save this traditional English village pub."

Initially the pub remained open but The Fleece was eventually closed at Easter. If everything goes according to plan the group hopes to have it open again by July.

Mr Vaughan said: "Negotiations are at an advanced stage with the owners.

"The Fleece is closed at the moment and it is looking in a very sad and sorry state."

He added: "We are hoping to buy the pub by the end of the month so we can have a party for the Diamond Jubilee. That’s pretty ambitious we know but if it all goes to plan it’s achievable.

"The big thing is trying to buy the pub for the village for the long term."

For more information contact Nigel Vaughan on 01453 844940 or Gavin Bailey on 01453 844163.