Campaign Funding to save Semington's Somerset Arms

Aim

We have formed the Semington Community Benefit Society to enable the community to own, renovate and open our only pub - The Somerset Arms.

To make a PLEDGE to buy shares please go to www.savethesomersetarms.co.uk. 

If you would like donate to the campaign funds to Save The Somerset Arms for the Community, please use this site.

This is a Once‑in‑a‑Generation Opportunity to Secure Our Village Pub

Help us to buy our pub for the community!

The Somerset Arms in Semington, Wiltshire, is the village’s only remaining pub and is at risk of being lost permanently. This is a unique opportunity for the community to come together to secure its future.

This campaign to raise funds is mainly to help with start up costs such as marketing, IT, admin, events, professional fees etc, but any excess will go towards the actual purchase of the pub. A separate share offer will be launched in the summer to raise the bulk of the money needed to buy and refurbish the pub

In 2025, following a village-wide survey and a series of public meetings, overwhelming local support led to the formation of the Semington Pub Action Group (SPAG). This group established the Semington Community Benefit Society and a dedicated bank account to provide a transparent and legally robust structure to purchase and operate the pub for community benefit. A forthcoming community share offer will allow local people to become co-owners, with a membership vote and a say in how the pub is run. Donations are also vital and greatly appreciated.

• The Somerset Arms is the only pub in the village
• This is the last chance for us to stand together as a community 
• You – We…can do something about it NOW
• We can create a superb community hub in the village for everyone to access and enjoy
• Your action now creates a legacy for the future 

The Somerset Arms closed in 2023 after the owners, The Wellington Pub Company (part of the Wellington Group), were unable to secure a new tenant. The property is currently on the market for £395,000 plus VAT. Without community action, there is a real risk that the pub will be lost.

The pub has been at the heart of the village for centuries, with origins dating back to at least the 18th century and possibly earlier. It has long served as a central meeting place and social hub, hosting teams, events, quizzes, festivals, and everyday gatherings. As the village continues to grow, preserving and revitalising this shared space is more important than ever.

Our vision is to reopen The Somerset Arms as a welcoming, inclusive community hub. Plans include a pub and restaurant, a private meeting room, dining and games areas, letting rooms, and a garden. The venue will host local teams, quizzes, themed dining events, and provide a welcoming space throughout the day for food, refreshments, and social connection. As well as social and community value, the reopening of a friendly thriving pub pub will also bring welcome economic value to the village and holiday makers enjoying the nearby Kennet and Avon canal.

While we are grateful for initial support from Semington Parish Council, further funding is required to cover professional fees such as marketing and our website, as well as the purchase and refurbishment of the building.

Your support—through donations or future share purchases—will help secure a lasting legacy for Semington and ensure that The Somerset Arms remains at the heart of village life for generations to come.

Please give what you can to help the cause, we know everything you can donate to us will make a real difference.

For more information, please visit our website at www.semington-cbs.co.uk or email us at [email protected]

Thank you

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 11th June 2026 at 4:30pm