A community-owned North Yorkshire pub is using a new kitchen garden to bring people together and grow community ties.
The Black Lion in Skelton-on-Ure, near Ripon, reopened last year after six years shut and now has a kitchen garden with planters and a greenhouse.
The garden will supply fresh produce to the pub shop, which sells essentials to residents, visitors and touring-caravan guests.
The Black Lion’s community café provides an invaluable meeting place for locals (Image: KEITH MEATHERINGHAM / DOBSON AGENCY)
David Horn, chair of Skelton-on-Ure Pub & Hub Ltd, said: "This wonderful kitchen garden is another way our community pub supports the wellbeing of local people.
"It has been brought to life through the collective efforts of volunteers and will provide a positive way for villagers and people from neighbouring areas to connect around a shared interest, while its produce will also provide a small revenue stream for the pub."
Volunteers at community-owned The Black Lion near Ripon (Image: KEITH MEATHERINGHAM / DOBSON AGENCY)
A volunteer committee, a bar manager and about 30 volunteers run The Black Lion.
Pub volunteers and members of a new gardening club will maintain the garden.
Local allotment holders donated plants and cuttings, while Pub is The Hub supported the project with funding from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST).
The garden is one of several schemes bringing the community together at The Black Lion.
The pub also runs a community café, open from Friday to Sunday, serving cooked breakfasts, light bites, cakes and hot drinks.
Volunteers at The Black Lion have worked hard to establish its new community kitchen garden (Image: KEITH MEATHERINGHAM / DOBSON AGENCY)
Chef Paula Pearse runs the café and cooks for the pub’s themed food evenings, which will use garden produce when available.
Other regular activities include a monthly book club, a weekly quiz, art displays, darts and garden games such as pétanque.
Nigel Williams, regional adviser for Pub is The Hub, said: "The new garden will complement and build on the strength of the pub’s thriving community café, shop and other regular activities to help grow social connections further."
The project aims to tackle rural isolation and help keep pubs sustainable by encouraging them to diversify.
Kate Dearden, Minister for the Future of Work, said: "Rural pubs like The Black Lion are vital to communities like Skelton-on-Ure. Whether it’s by creating jobs or providing locals with important public services and activities, it's crucial for them to have a place to come together and socialise.
The pub’s gardening tools box has been made by Harrogate-based charity Horticap (Image: KEITH MEATHERINGHAM / DOBSON AGENCY)
"This is exactly why we are working to secure the future of rural pubs and venues through our Hospitality Support Fund. On top of the £4.3bn support package announced last year, we've slashed business rates for pubs by 15% and are boosting this to 20% from April."
Pub is The Hub also teamed up with Harrogate charity Horticap to give The Black Lion a box of gardening tools.
Horticap supports adults with learning and other disabilities, bringing another community link to the project.
The Black Lion’s kitchen garden is expected to supply produce to the pub shop and café while giving volunteers a place to meet and get involved.