Always on
This project successfully funded on 31st October 2025, you can still support them with a donation.
Secure the Future of the White Lion - Donations
Whitchurch, Shropshire, United Kingdom
Aim
To secure the future of The White Lion
Our Story
For 250 years The White Lion has been at the heart of Ash Villages, but when the building went up for sale in 2018, we faced losing not just a pub, but a vital lifeline for our community.
So when our local community launched a campaign to save the White Lion supporters across the UK and internationally raised the funds to purchase the pub, saving it from closure and giving it a new lease of lease under community ownership.
Since becoming a community pub the White Lion has become more than just a place to eat and drink; it's the centre of our rural community, where friendships are made, stories are shared, and everyone belongs.
However, we have now outgrown our current facilities. Alongside this, we lack level access & accessible facilities, meaning some members of our community cannot access & enjoy what The White Lion has to offer.
The Next Chapter
However, we have the space, the team & the planning already in place to develop our pub into a venue for everyone.
This campaign will enable us to build a desperately needed connection between our small lounge area & outside function room. Alongside this we will finally be able to provide level access and create purpose built facilities for people with limited mobility & for families with young children.
We already have planning permission in place for the above, which doubles our floor space, includes an accessible entrance, brand new facilities, kitchen, restaurant & a volunteer run community shop with home deliveries - all expertly designed with sustainability in mind, and keeping our historic traditional pub features.
Every contribution makes a difference - we want to build an inclusive and sustainable future together!
More Than Just a Pub
Since we became community-owned, our doors have opened wider than ever, and we're a vital asset for many.
We're more than just a pub. We provide much needed space for community groups & events, including book clubs, quiz nights, charity events, christenings & even weddings!
Put simply, we bring people together. Whether you’re popping in for a pint, joining a club, enjoying a meal or seeking connection, friendship, or company you’ll find a home at the White Lion. As a rural community, we're a vital lifeline for many, who without the pub, would lose their network of supportive like minded companions, helping tackle loneliness, isolation and stress.
The White Lion also offers much needed employment & training opportunities for local young people, setting them up for a lifetime of success, alongside providing a safe & inclusive space for then to socialise.
A testament to these values is that in 2023 the White Lion Community Pub won the Countryside Alliance Award for the Best Rural Pub in the UK - an award which we proudly display in our bar area.
Your Support
Why your support will transform the pub & future proof our success.
In a post pandemic economy the hospitality sector has faced many challenges, and over the last two years we've had to work hard to ensure our business is sustainable and resilient for the long term. In the last 12 months, thanks to a robust management team who have completely elevated our food & event offering alongside the support of our wonderful community, we are thriving!
Through expanding our pubs offering & controlling expendables, we currently running at capacity; the appetite for the White Lion is there, we now need to secure funding so we can expand and secure the business for the long term.
However, we have outgrown our current facilities. Our limited dining and kitchen space means we have no room to grow. Therefore this funding project is vital so we can build additional dining and kitchen space, doubling our capacity, profitability and sustainability for the long term.
The reviews food & service speak for themselves, and reflect the incredible offering your support will enable us to expand:
We have proven the viability of the White Lion in a challenging economic climate & with limited access & space. Our extensive, detailed business plan shows that this development catapults the business forward and sustains the business for the long term.
Your Support Secures Our Future
In order to fund this vital project, we are excited to be opening up donations so you can directly help us achieve our dream.
How Your Donation Helps
All funds raised will go directly towards:
- Creating level access and improving facilities so we can be fully inclusive.
- Supporting community ownership so that decisions are made with the heart of
the village in mind.
- Ensuring the White Lion continues to thrive now and for generations to come.
Whether you can give £10, £50, or more, every contribution makes a difference.
Help us keep this historic pub alive and thriving!
Thank you for your support – together, let’s make the White Lion roar even louder!
For any questions please contact [email protected]
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made