About OCtyPuS
Our journey to creating a community pub
Village pub + Community hub
The Silks on the Downs closed in 2020 at the beginning of the lockdown. The owner approached the parish council to see if there was any interest in taking it on as a community pub.
A team of volunteers came together to explore the potential, understand what the community wanted and ultimately launch a successful community share offer. The community did everything from knocking on doors to generate funds, running pop-up and virtual events through to getting the keys and undertaking the hard work of making the pub a warm and welcoming place for generations to enjoy.
In addition we were supported by a grant from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and in May 2022 we eventually purchased the pub.
Explore the history of the pub, the story of the refurbishment and what it means to be a community pub.
Community Benefit Society
Learn more about the CBS for our local village pub.
Pub History
There has been a pub on this site since the early 1900’s – well technically there were two pubs….
Community Objectives
The silks on the downs has bought together our community for over 100 years. It continues to do so
Upcoming Pub Events and Activities
Join us for exciting events and activities, bringing the community together and celebrating local culture. Learn, enjoy, and meet new friends.