Keep the Willow Tree at the heart of the Community

We have a very big thing to ask…..we need to raise £30,000 to buy the lease for The Willow Tree Pub, in Abbey Park.

Hi, its Glynn & Wendy here and we returned to The Willow Tree Pub, after two years because we love this place and the team, who feel like our family too!

We are extremely proud to have been able to ride out Covid here, with Wendy and the girls being interviewed on BBC Radio, about making headbands and scrubs bags for the QMC, with the community dropping off bed sheets and fabric to make them! The girl's banner in support of the NHS and frontline services, was photographed and put on the local police social pages too!

When we came back, we intended to stay for many years, as we love this pub and know what works here and what the community likes and expects. Our children are loving being back “home” and continuing their educations, where they feel safe and wanted.

The Willow Tree Pub has been the heart of the community since the early 1970’s, about to celebrate its 50th anniversary in the coming year, with events planned to celebrate.

But here is the reason for this fundraising page: Stonegate Group (who own this business) want to sell the lease. This will effectively mean, that if Wendy and I don’t raise the money needed to but it, The Willow Tree Pub will change hands again, giving it an uncertain future. The money we hope to raise (with your help) will go towards buying the lease and the furniture, fixtures and fittings, as well as enabling us to trade & do things our way! This will benefit the local community greatly, by enabling us to continue to employ the local faces that we have all grown to love & providing the events and activities you expect from Wendy & me! By owning the lease, we will be able to make our own decisions about food menus and lowering prices, making it more accessible to every member of the community.

We understand if you cannot help us, we know that times are hard and money is tight, but we are passionate about this community space & sincerely hope that, with your help, we can continue to be here, keeping the heartbeat of Abbey Park going, for many years to come! Thank you for your time (& hopefully your support too)!

If we do not reach our target and were unsuccessful in our bid to buy the lease, any monies raised would be donated to local and national charities, however if we are unsuccessful any donations of £100 or more, by any individual or organisation, will be refunded.