A group is aiming to protect a 'community asset' by purchasing a village pub. 

The Black Lion Community Group was formed in 2023 and is endeavouring to bring Ireby's Black Lion under community ownership by the summer of 2024. 

Malcolm Boswell is a member of the group and explained how the group is attempting to protect the village pub and make use of a government grant that helps safeguard community assets.

He said: "It started in the middle of last year, the current owner closed the pub down and that was a bit of a blow to everyone in the village and the surrounding areas and then a very small group agreed to explore taking the pub on with the assistance of the Community Ownership Fund (COF), money that the government makes available to community groups to purchase assets of community value.

"In the meantime, the landlord agreed to keep the pub open while we endeavour to see if we can secure the purchase."

As part of the group's bid for COF funding, they have had the Black Lion independently valued, and surveyed, and have undertaken several fundraisers to raise the money that will be matched by the government grant to make the purchase possible. 

The group has now advanced to the final round of applications, with the rapid progress partly being down to the community case they have been able to make as without the Black Lion Ireby would become even more isolated.

"Ireby only has a bus once a week on a Saturday to Keswick and that bus service stops at the end of Ocotber and doesn't resume unit April 1," Malcolm said.

"The good folk or Ireby are supposed to go into hibernation for five months which all puts it into perspective just how isolated it is and how the pub is the hub.

"The purpose of the application to COF is to make the pub into even more of a community hub by opening it during the day as a cafe or drop-in shop and then morphing into a pub in the afternoon.

"It is a community pub and the efforts of the community will be designed to make sure it meets the needs of the community."

The Black Lion Community Group aims to take the pub into community ownership in July and is welcoming the backing of local political figures, with Workington's Conservative MP Mark Jenkinson visiting and supporting the pub on Thursday, February 17. 

Malcolm was also keen to put on record that the group has extended invitations to Penrith and Solway's Liberal Democrat candidate Julia Aglionby and Labour candidate Markus Campbell-Savours.