
Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society Ltd is crowdfunding
Weʼre raising £7,500 to crowdfund upfront costs to help establish a community pub in Roxwell.
- 29 days to go
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Story
The historic country pub at the heart of the village of Roxwell is at risk. Please help us save it!
The Chequers Inn, which has served generations of the rural community for more than 250 years, has been closed since its previous owners retired in 2021.
The Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society Ltd has been formed to establish a community owned pub at The Chequers, to secure its long term future. This is a model that has worked successfully to save many other pubs around the country, including the Three Horseshoes at Helions Bumpstead, the Lion at Lamarsh and the Kings Head at Pebmarsh - all villages in Essex that are smaller than Roxwell.
We have launched a community share offer to try and raise the money from investors needed to buy the pub on behalf of the community, before letting it to a tenant to run. This is the tried and tested model for other community pubs, which do not need to be run on terms that are as overtly commercial as brewery or privately owned pubs.
To progress the project we have had to pay for various professional surveys and specialist advice to assess the condition and value of the building and work up our shareholder proposal, to ensure that our business is plan and budgets for buying and renovating the pub are robust. We have also had to register a Community Benefit Society with the Financial Conduct Authority to establish the appropriate legal structure to make this happen. We are crowdfunding these costs through this page.
In May the interim Chair of our Steering Group, Sam Metson, took part in Ride London-Essex, a 100 mile cycling challenge, to help raise sponsorship for the campaign. Since then, this crowdfunding page has continued to ensure that ongoing project costs are funded and the Society does not get into debt.
Every donation will go straight to the Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society to pay for project costs. If there is a surplus beyond our crowdfunding target, which will keep moving to keep track of costs, it will go into the pot to help buy the pub for the benefit of all. If we are not successful in doing so, anything left over will be donated to local charities.
There is potential for every pound donated to matched by a grant from the Government's Community Ownership Fund, so please give as generously as you can to help make this project a reality.
Find our more about the project on our website at www.savethechequersroxwell.co.uk


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Updates
5
4 months ago
Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society Ltd
4 months agoAs we launch our share offer, we are raising our crowdfunding target again to cover anticipated costs of further professional advice to support our negotiations to purchase the pub and the costs of promoting the campaign effectively in the local area, online and in the press. We are also launching a sponsorship/official supporter campaign for businesses that are keen to support us. If your company can help, please donate any amount via this page and contact us to request a logo and link on our website and a shout out on social media!
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4 months ago
Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society Ltd
4 months agoWe had an amazing launch event for our share offer last night with around 150 concerned members of the community turning out to hear about the proposal despite the event having to fall into the middle of harvest and the holiday season. The opportunity to pledge to become in investor will be open from this weekend (12/13th August) until 17th September. We need to raise a minimum of £275k from potential shareholders to make the project a reality, with the minimum investment of £250 per person. Details online at www.savethechequers.co.uk.
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4 months ago
Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society Ltd
4 months agoThe power of this crowdfunding page to support the community pub project has been immense so far, but we have had to commission a more detailed building survey and planned maintenance report to understand what would be needed to maintain the building over the next ten years. Our steering group's costs are therefore still several hundred pounds higher than what has been raised so far. The target figure has gone up to reflect this, and anything beyond will help the next stage of work. Any further donations out there would be gratefully received!
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Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society Ltd started crowdfunding
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Supporters
134
Peter Cracknell
Nov 11, 2023
Roxwell needs a pub that locals can walk to, well done to all those who are trying to make this happen.
£20.00
Martin
Oct 30, 2023
Pumkin Trail
£3.00
Anonymous
Oct 30, 2023
£3.00
Anonymous
Oct 30, 2023
Leanne & Elijah
Oct 30, 2023
Pumpkin trail
£3.00
Anonymous
Oct 28, 2023
£10.00
Anonymous
Oct 28, 2023
£3.00

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What is crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is a new type of fundraising where you can raise funds for your own personal cause, even if you're not a registered nonprofit.
The page owner is responsible for the distribution of funds raised.
About the fundraiser

Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society Ltd
The Roxwell Chequers Community Benefit Society has been established to secure a community buy out of the Chequers Inn, Roxwell, for the benefit of the community.