We visited a Staffordshire countryside pub given a chance to thrive after villagers saved it from closure

One village which was faced with this possibility at the turn of the century is Church Eaton, a small, but pleasant village in the countryside near Stafford, when its pub the Royal Oak was threatened by closure.

The community hub could have been lost forever, but for the efforts of the villagers, who each chipped into a consortium called Lanvar Ltd to buy the Royal Oak and run it as their own pub in 2003.

Since then, the Royal Oak has become a thriving pub at the centre of the community and a hub of charity fundraising in the village. It is currently run by Karly Davies and Adam Caton.

Mr Caton explained: "We've nearly come here a few times, to be honest, as I've met the shareholders and the villagers before when I was asked to come and help them out when the previous landlord left and they were running it themselves.

"None of them were publicans, so I lent them a bit of knowledge to try and see them through and they offered us the chance to run it in 2023, but it wasn't the right time, but then, lo and behold, I was working at the Swan at Whiston and they told me that the pub was coming up and they really wanted me to apply for it.

"This was some of the locals and some of my friends who have drunk in this pub and wanted to see it succeed, so I came for an interview and they offered us the pub as I think the pub needed some guidance and some of the owners were ready to give it up, which would have been so sad."

Mr Caton said that when he and his partner came in, they made some wholesale changes, including redecorating the pub, adding new lighting and regenerating the bar, as well as adding a new cellar and painting the outside area, turning it in the sort of pub he said he would love to drink in.

He also said the beer and cider selection was one he was proud of, having been able to extend it to include a lot of different drinks, including an ale which very few pubs have.

He said: "We've had a craft beer fridge put in and extended the range of real ales, then we've got an artisan collection of spirits and wines and our cask ale range is on six pumps, as well as six traditional ciders.

"We've got Batham's Best Bitter, which is the jewel in our crown as it's a very hard beer to get as Batham's are very exclusive about who their beer goes to, so we're lucky enough to be one of those.

"We also deal very heavily with Wye Valley, with HPA and Butty Bach on permanently, and we'll have two guest ales on at any one time."

Mr Caton said the Royal Oak was the beating heart of the community and was very much a locals pub, with more locals coming in regularly to enjoy the Batham's and also take in the food offerings, such as Sunday lunches and a range of cobs behind the bar.

He said it was a place which meant so much to him and had become his and his partner's life.

"It means the world to us right now as we've poured our heart and soul into it, and we've also received the warmth and appreciation and gratitude from the people who own it and deserve the best pub.

"There are people who have passed away who were part of the efforts to save this place and it meant the world to them, so if I can show any of that passion and energy that they had, then it's purely a testament to them.

"I mean it when I say we're here to do a job and repay the faith they've shown in us and I want them to know this pub is in good, capable hands and they've got the pub that they've wanted in their community after all these years."