The Crown Inn, Grewelthorpe: Yorkshire villagers have offer to buy historic coaching inn accepted by Admiral Taverns

The Crown Inn at Grewelthorpe, near Masham, was put up for sale by owners Admiral Taverns with a £350,000 asking price after the business closed in February.

Built in 1828 and associated with Jennings brewery, it was originally a coaching inn.

The Crown was granted Asset of Community Value status by North Yorkshire Council, meaning the local community had six months to prepare a bid to buy the Georgian building before it went onto the open market.

Admiral accepted their offer this week. The Friends of The Crown members have now submitted an application to the government’s Community Ownership Fund, which supports amenities at risk of being lost.

Friends chair Martin Glynn said: “The fund opened this time around with a much shorter window than anybody anticipated so it was a huge amount of work to get our bid ready, but we managed it - with an hour to go! I’d just like to say a very big thank you to everybody who helped – it really was a team effort. We just want our pub back in Grewelthorpe, and this week has seen us make big strides to achieving that."

The group’s aim is to refurbish the building, use local suppliers and create a welcoming and accessible environment.

The inn has a bar area and separate restaurant with historic features, including Yorkshire stone flagged floors, exposed ceiling beams, cast iron fuel burners and an open fire. There is a games room, three en-suite letting rooms and manager’s accommodation.