On a crisp, clear winter's evening, a warm glow emanated from a historic building on the shores of the Holy Loch. The Oakbank Community Inn in Sandbank, Argyll, was buzzing with life on its long-awaited opening night, marking the triumphant end of a three-year campaign by villagers to save their local.
A Village's Three-Year Mission to Save Its Heart
The Oakbank Inn, a landmark at the centre of Sandbank for 160 years, shut its doors at the end of 2022, a casualty of the post-pandemic struggle faced by countless businesses. The subsequent closure of the nearby Holy Loch inn left the village without a single pub—a devastating blow to community spirit in a rural area.
In early 2023, determined locals formed a committee, chaired by Sue McKillop, and embarked on the arduous journey to buy the pub back. "It's been an uphill struggle," admits founding member Ian MacNaughton, who recalls sneaking in for a pint as a teenager. "I just didn't think the hill would be so steep!"
Their persistence was finally rewarded in December last year with a Scottish Land Fund grant of nearly £150,000, covering most of the purchase price. In January, McKillop launched a community share offer, raising over £23,000 and an "inspiring amount of enthusiasm". By April, the keys were theirs.
More Than a Pub: A Lifeline Against Isolation
While the share issue didn't meet its £90,000 target, the community contributed "thousands of volunteer hours" to refurbish the inn, explains development officer Dawn Petherick. The bar was shifted and painted an airy sky blue, and the old wood burner retained. Throughout the works, the team hosted pop-ups, workshops, and charity events, laying the groundwork for its future role.
"Whatever the community wants – knitting groups, book clubs, exhibitions, 'sober nights' – it should be a hub more than a pub," Petherick states. "Somewhere to alleviate social isolation." This mission is increasingly urgent, with the nearby Strone Inn also set to close this year.
The community-owned model offers strong hope for longevity. James Alcock, chief executive of Plunkett UK, notes that such businesses have a "highly resilient" five-year survival rate of 98%. "We see time and again how saving local assets like village pubs protects vital services and social spaces," he says.
Ambitious Plans for a Sustainable Future
The committee is under no illusions about the challenges ahead in a tough trading climate. "It's exciting but a wee bit scary," Sue McKillop concedes. "We will need to keep innovating in order to survive."
Future ambitions are bold and community-focused. They include:
- Refurbishing the accommodation upstairs.
- Creating a studio and gallery space in the adjoining cottage.
- Renovating the commercial kitchen to serve hyper-local produce from Sandbank's own community garden opposite.
- Rebuilding a rotten deck and constructing a bridge to connect to the Holy Loch marina below.
The marina is home to some unusual regulars—giant Atlantic grey seals that haul out on the slipway. For boat owners like Rob, who enjoyed a pint on opening night, the pub's revival is crucial. "Sailors don't like going places where you can't go to a pub," he remarked, while his friend Tony quipped about the area's history. Rob's retsummed up the night's mood: "You can't drink a pint of history." For the people of Sandbank, the future, poured fresh from the taps of their own inn, tastes far sweeter.
