George & Dragon

North Yorkshire - Hudswell

Community Owned

Freehold Owner: Community Benefit Society

Other Freehold Owner: Hudswell Community Pub Limited

Year Purchased: 2010

The George & Dragon is the only pub in Hudswell and the first community-owned public house in North Yorkshire. It was also selected as CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year in 2016, the first community-owned pub to win the award. When the George & Dragon pub in Hudswell closed in 2008 it left the small North Yorkshire village with no other facilities for its residents apart from a village hall. Within two years, the community banded together to form the Hudswell Community Pub Ltd group and bought back the pub, re-opening in June 2010 after extensive renovations. The community was determined that the George & Dragon would offer far more than a traditional pub. As well as acting as a meeting place and venue, it is also home to the village library, a local shop staffed by volunteers, community allotments and free internet access for its patrons.