Community shares
Capital at risk — please be aware of the risks associated with investing in community shares.
Save the Traf by Cabo Trafalgar Ltd
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
All or nothing
This project needs 100% of its target
Aim
To purchase the freehold and secure the long-term future of The Trafalgar as a thriving, inclusive pub serving South Wimbledon
Let’s Buy Our Traf and Keep It In The Community!
The Traf is an independent pub located on High Path in South Wimbledon, within the London Borough of Merton. It is Wimbledon’s oldest freehouse, with a pub occupying the site since at least 1868. The Traf has been recognised through a number of industry accolades, including CAMRA South West London Pub of the Year, CAMRA South West London Cider Pub of the Year, and was recently named in The Telegraph’s Top 500 Pubs in England.
Since 2023, the pub has been subject to multiple planning applications by the current property developer freeholder, which would have seen the Traf demolished and replaced with residential development. These proposals have to date been rejected, with decision-makers recognising the building’s social and cultural value. While the community has shown its strength in objecting to the various planning applications, a longer term solution is needed to ensure that the current, or future, freeholders cannot simply try again in 5 or 10 years.
Save the Traf powered by Cabo Trafalgar Ltd
And that’s where this campaign comes in! Wanting to take advantage of the momentum behind rejecting the current freeholder’s applications and to prevent them from ever trying again, the "Save the Traf" campaign was born. As part of this campaign, a Community Benefit Society (CBS) was established called "Cabo Trafalgar Limited".
To secure the future of our Traf, the CBS has agreed an option to buy the freehold from the current owner. And that’s where we need your support! By securing the freehold we secure the future of the pub - it’s as simple as that! The pub would be owned by the community and continue to serve this fabulous community for all eternity with no threat of future destruction! The CBS would also inherit the existing 10-year lease, which is held by Oli, the much-loved landlord of the pub
This is the best opportunity for us to secure the pub’s future and to do this we need your support. Below are the investment options we’ve launched to enable you to achieve these goals.
The Target
We need to raise £500,000 to purchase the freehold, and a further £30,000 to £49,000 to cover associated fees and costs, such as a structural survey, conveyancing and due diligence, stamp duty, loan arrangement fees and fundraising platform fees. So that means we need to raise between £530,000 and £549,000. (The reason for this range is that crowdfunding platform fees are charged as a percentage of the share capital raised, so the more we raise through the share offer the higher the fees we have to pay.)
We are aiming to raise at least half of the freehold cost through this share offer, i.e. at least £250,000. The remaining funds will need to be raised by the CBS through loans. So the more we can raise through the share offer the less debt the CBS has to take on and repay.
The good news is we have already received an agreement in principle from Cooperative and Community Finance for a loan of up to £150,000, subject to credit checks, due diligence etc. We are also discussing with Merton Council what additional support they may be able to offer.
How Community Shares Work
All shares, which are called Community Shares, are priced at £1. By purchasing at least the minimum number of Community Shares (250), you will become a member of the CBS and able to vote at Annual Members’ Meetings on the future direction and priorities for the CBS. A significant feature of the CBS structure is that no matter the number of shares or amount of money invested, each member will get only one vote - so everyone’s voice will be heard!
The Community Shares are withdrawable and non-transferable. Withdrawal of shares is not possible until they have been held for at least five years, i.e. from Year 6 onwards. Any interest accrued over the period the shares have been invested is paid upon withdrawal. Accrual of interest and withdrawal of shares is at the discretion of the CBS Management Committee and is subject to the CBS having sufficient funds available at the time.
It is not possible for individuals to invest more than £50,000 through this share offer. However, if you are an institutional investor and would like to invest more than £50,000, we would love to hear from you!
Funding Tiers
There are a number of different packages that are available to you. When you click on an investment level tier it will default to the minimum amount for that tier (e.g. £500). If you are able to invest a higher amount than the minimum for a tier, you can then increase your investment by entering an additional amount under “Add an additional investment?” So for example you could select the £500 tier, add £100 as an additional investment, and so invest £600 in total.
* 3.5% per year or 0.5% over the Bank of England Base Rate per year, whichever is higher, subject to 5% max.
** 4% per year or 1% over the Bank of England Base Rate per year, whichever is higher, subject to 5% max.
Interest on Shares
For investments of £500 and above, your Community Shares will attract interest. The interest is not paid out directly, but accrues so that the value of your shares increases over time. Should you choose to withdraw your shares at some future date, then the accrued interest is paid out along with the original investment. As noted above, all withdrawals and accrual of interest is at the discretion of the CBS Management Committee and subject to the CBS having sufficient funds at the time.
Interest will start to accrue after the shares have been held for a number of years. This period depends upon how much is raised through the share offer:
- If we raise £205,000 or above: Interest will accrue after 6 years, so starting in Year 7
- If we raise £250,000 or above: Interest will accrue after 5 years, so starting in Year 6
- If we raise £530,000: Interest will accrue after 4 years, so starting in Year 5
CBS Membership
As discussed above, being a member of the CBS ensures you have a voice and a vote on how the freehold of the pub is managed.
Birthday Drink
As an investor you will be able to enjoy a delicious drink on your birthday each year in recognition of your support!
Name on Plaque
Your name will feature on a plaque commemorating the spirit of the community in securing the future of our beloved Traf.
Opportunity to Buy Signed Lydia Wood Merch
You’ll have the opportunity to purchase Lydia Wood’s fabulous print of the Traf and her brilliant book Locals (a sure fire hit with any pub lovers!) showcasing her drawings of brilliant London pubs. Both signed by her!
Traf Discount
Depending on the level of your investment, anything over £500 will garner a discount on drinks in the Traf .
Brewery Visit
Investing over £1,000? An opportunity to accompany Oli on a brewery visit to identify even more delicious beer (subject to availability).
Please see the full Share Offer Document for further details at the bottom of this page.
Checking the Details
We are sure that you will have further questions around the specifics of this fundraise and how the CBS is planning to operate and remain afloat over the next 5 years and further into the future. These details can be found in our Business Plan and Share Offer documents linked below and on our website.
For more information about the CBS board members and the CBS itself, please checkout the About Us page on our website.
The Community Shares Standard Mark is awarded by the Community Shares Unit to offers that meet national standards of good practice.
For more information about community shares, the Community Shares Standard Mark and the Community Shares Unit go to: communityshares.org.uk
Any questions? Contact us at [email protected]
Funding method
All or nothing – this project will only receive pledges if it reaches its target of £250,000 by 17th November 2026 at 11:59pm