Salvation Squad saves their village pub

The director of a communications company is the toast of her village local after using her skills in a campaign to save the Warwickshire pub from closure.

Lucy Boyes, a director at Stratford-upon-Avon based Leader Communications Client Services, took on the communications role for The New Inn Salvation Squad, a group formed to save the New Inn in Norton Lindsey.

She used her 20 years of marketing experience to design the campaign and make sure its goal was successful.

First established as a coaching inn in 1750, The New Inn’s future came under threat in July 2016, when its owner Solihull pubco Enterprise Inns put it up for sale on the open market, exposing the pub to developer interest.

The prospect of their local being sold led the Norton Lindsey residents to form the Salvation Squad, with a plan to purchase the pub for £312,500 – the price agreed with Enterprise.

Firstly, Lucy helped create a range of marketing collateral which included the Salvation Squad website. Then she set about generating publicity and raising the profile of the campaign through traditional print, broadcast and social media.

The Salvation Squad’s website and social media channels also proved highly effective tools in taking the campaign message out into the wider world in the quest to generate the funds required to save the pub.

Lucy said: “The vision all along has been to not only save the pub but to turn it into a thriving hub for the local community.

“It’s been a really positive experience to use my design and communication skills for such a worthy campaign, ensuring that the village community has a ‘hub’ for all to enjoy today and for the future.

“The campaign has involved a lot of hard work but by creating the right identity and raising the profile it has proved extremely beneficial in raising £340,000 in just one month.

“This amazing journey from despair to joy has firmly cemented our village community together as we look forward to a new and brighter future for our pub.”

An investment share offer, crowdfunding campaign and forming a choir to record their own version of the Christmas classic ‘The Holly and The Ivy’ were all part of the fundraising activities launched by the Salvation Squad as they set out to achieve their target.

James Holden, managing director of Leader Communications said: “Lucy and the whole Salvation Squad team have worked really hard to secure a key resource for the village community. The whole area owes them a very big thank you indeed.

“It’s also rather interesting for me to see how Lucy has once again helped to save part of Norton Lindsay’s infrastructure. Twenty years ago when Wolverton School was threatened with closure, we got involved with a successful campaign to save the school.

“I’m beginning to think that whenever one of the pillars of the Norton Lindsay community is threatened someone here steps up to help, which is just as it should be for a locally based business that believes in the importance of community.”