Become a Shareholder
THE SHARE OFFER
Shares have been offered since December 2018, with the initial target to enable the pub to reopen – with the initial funds raised covering the refurbishment and initial start-up costs. The overall, long-term plan was and still is to eventually move to purchase the freehold.
CCPL are now in a much more stable financial position, far stronger than many similar businesses.
We have a great relationship with our landlords, who want to see the pub succeed and have helped us through some trading difficulties.
CCPL are now pushing forward with ‘Phase II’ of our plans – the Target being the purchase of the Freehold. As of mid-2026 – the target figure is circa £340,000 (inc fees).
We invite you to apply to become or increase your shareholding. The financial details of the shares are;
PRICE PER SHARE
£50 for existing shareholders
INVESTMENT LIMITS
Minimum for new shareholders - £250 (ie five shares)
MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS
One member, one vote irrespective of amount invested
MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY
Individuals over 18 and companies
The rules surrounding a Community Benefit Society are different from an ordinary company and so you should seek professional advice if you are unsure of any aspect.
You should note that this share offer is not subject to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and investors will have no recourse to the Financial Ombudsman. Anyone buying community shares could lose some or all of the money they invest, without the protection of the government’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and without recourse to the Financial Ombudsmen Service.
1. INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
You are invited to invest in Community Shares in Collingham Community Pub Ltd (the Society), registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under the Cooperative and Community Benefits Act 2014, Registration Number 7810.
Collingham Community Pub Limited was formed with the aim of refurbishing, renovating and purchasing the freehold of the Royal Oak, Collingham public house for the benefit of all residents of Collingham and surrounding villages. Being a community pub, it has a responsibility to be open for use by local interest groups and societies for committee meetings and social functions etc. Any profits of the CCPL after the freehold is secured will be used for the benefit of the whole community.
As a community pub, the Royal Oak will remain safe from redevelopment or sale for as long as the community wants that to be the case.
The Model Rules of the Society for community ownership are those of the Plunkett Foundation and are published on our website www.ccpl.org.uk The Society Rules are such that all financial surplus must be invested in the business (and can include paying modest interest on shares to members) or redistributed to other community organisations.
We aim to attract investment from the residents of Collingham and the surrounding area but also, more widely, from anyone with an interest in securing the future of the Royal Oak.
2. OVERVIEW
The Royal Oak public house has been an important part of Collingham area life and the character of the village, since at least 1803, and since the 19th century has been an important meeting place.
The property is owned by ‘Lincoln Markets and Corn Exchange Ltd’, the property arm of Lincolnshire Cooperative Society Ltd and CCPL negotiated a 5 year lease to operate as a pub and established a price for the outright purchase of the freehold which is currently £308,000. The purchase price is calculated as 14 times the ‘passing rent’.
We are offering an opportunity leading to the purchase of the pub and secure this worthwhile community enterprise. Providing a financial benefit to Society members (the shareholders), and social benefits to other pub users for future generations.
The Management Committee of the Society have to date successfully raised funds to refurbish, refit and operate the pub, during some extremely difficult trading conditions. It is established as a vibrant pub and has been secured as an asset of community value that will benefit the community for future generations, and it is protected from further sale and possible alternative residential development.
We hope that both new and existing shareholders will take up this offer as soon as possible to secure our future. CCPL having had the responsibility for all operational issues are now moving forward to a financially more secure position having signed up a tenant to a five-year operating lease. The tenant pays a market rate to CCPL to lease the pub and additionally provides a small additional amount from their operating income. CCPL will continue to work towards raising monies to purchase the freehold.
3. OUR PROGRESS TO DATE
The Committee has received strong support from the Plunkett Foundation and many other successful community owned pubs. This has helped us to take this community project forward, and to date, the CCPL have:
Set up the Collingham Community Pub Limited a community benefit society registered with the FCA.
Negotiated the terms of a 25-year lease from Lincoln Co-operative Society including an option to purchase the property after five years.
Obtained positive media coverage in the local press.
Opened and operated the Royal Oak through an extremely difficult trading period.
Secured a tenant to run the operational side of the pub.
4. OUR VISION
Our vision is to create a focal point that will improve the social life and activities in the community.
The pub is acknowledged as an Asset of Community Value and funds need to be raised to purchase the freehold and secure it for the future.
To develop community, through holding events and development programmes
Encourage the employment of local people, goods and services
To act as custodians of the pub to ensure it remains in community ownership for future generations
5. COMMUNITY SHARES
Community Shares (also called ‘withdrawable shares’) are ideally suited to community - focused organisations. Investors may receive interest on the sums they invest and can withdraw their investment, but only under certain conditions - the Society must first have the funds to support withdrawal and will only accept requests for withdrawal after three years.
Community shares are inheritable, but they cannot be sold on or transferred. The Society will always ensure that repayments to members are prudently managed, considering our responsibilities as a ‘Community Benefits Society’.
Community shares cannot increase in value. If the Collingham Community Pub Limited was in a position to sell the pub and made a profit, investors would receive their original investment back, and any profit would be retained for community interests (this is called an “asset lock”). If the business runs into difficulty and must be sold at a reduced value, it is possible that not all the original investment could be repaid to investors.
We hope that you want to save The Royal Oak and secure its future, and this share issue has been designed to give you an opportunity to contribute financially, support the Society as a member on a long-term basis, and invest in this important business for the local community.
How you can be involved
We are inviting you to become an investor (shareholder) in the Collingham Community Pub Limited, which is the society established to enable the people and friends of Collingham, and those in the surrounding area and further afield, to secure and safeguard the future of The Royal Oak, an amenity of prime importance to the local community.
The society will provide all investors with updates on progress and annual accounts, a voice in the running of the Society and the opportunity to be elected to the Management Committee.
6. THE SOCIETY & MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The Society
Collingham Community Pub Limited was established in 2018 by ‘members of the community for the benefit of the community’. It was established specifically to raise sufficient funds for the community to secure and safeguard the future of the Royal Oak.
Collingham Community Pub Limited is a not-for-profit Community Benefit Society using model rules (its constitution) developed by the Plunkett Foundation and used by over fifty existing community owned pubs. The Society is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and copies of the constitution, defining your rights as a member, and our business plan can be found on our website www.ccpl.org.uk, so please read them if you wish to invest.
Community Benefit Societies are by law intended to be democratic organisations and all members will have an equal vote regardless of their shareholding and will have the protection of limited liability.
The rules determine that CCPL will trade for the benefit of the community and not for anyone’s private benefit. It will retain and apply profit to advance the Society’s purpose (including through paying interest to members on their shareholding).
We are inviting you to become an investor in the Society through the purchase of shares which confer membership rights on the investor. These membership rights include a voice in the running of the Society and an opportunity to be elected to the Management Committee by members of the Collingwood Community Pub Limited Community Benefit Society at Annual Members’ Meetings, with one vote per member regardless of the number of shares held.
The Management Committee
The Management Committee may consist of a maximum of 9 individuals who will be collectively responsible for establishing the strategy for the business and overseeing performance.
Members of the Management Committee will be democratically elected by members of the Society at Annual General Meetings, with one vote per member regardless of investment size.
The current Management Committee of the Society comprises of village residents who themselves are shareholders.
The management Committee may co-opt additional members who bring particular skills or a contribution that is relevant to the purchase and operation of the Royal Oak and/or to members of the Community. These appointments are only valid until the next AGM.
Only Members (i.e. shareholders in the Collingham Community Pub Limited) may be elected to serve on the Management Committee.
The Management Committee members will be the Directors of Collingham Community Pub Limited and collectively bring a wealth of experience and expertise. They are all volunteers working together and sharing skills to purchase and manage the pub in the interest of its shareholders and for the benefit of the community.
Summary - Key Points for Investors
Why should I buy community shares?
To safeguard the future of the Royal Oak as a viable asset for the community.
Who will benefit from this project?
The residents and friends of Collingham and surrounding villages will benefit directly from having a vital amenity preserved for future generations, both through the extended use of the facility itself but also because the Royal Oak will play a part in making Collingham a stronger, more vibrant and cohesive community in which to live.
Is this a good business proposition?
Whilst our prior aim is to maintain the Royal Oak as an asset for the benefits of the community, rather than to generate profit, we do expect and will require the business to be a profitable venture. We have carefully evaluated its strengths and weaknesses and our projections show that we can establish it as a sustainable, successful business. Experience from other community-owned pubs, none of which have failed to date, shows that communities that work together to set up such enterprises will support their operation.
Who are the people behind the project? Do they have a personal interest?
The Management Committee consists of a group of residents who care passionately about; the Royal Oak, the value of a pub to the social well-being and wealth of an area, and its future heritage. They all have invested in shares and have no personal financial interest in the project other than as shareholders. They have contributed and will continue to contribute a large amount of time to the project on an entirely voluntary basis, which has been supplemented by the support of others within the community and beyond.
Who will run The Royal Oak and make day-to-day decisions about the business?
The Management Committee will oversee the appointment of the tenant and have drawn up a tenancy agreement to ensure that the operation of the Royal Oak is consistent with the vision for the community. Shareholders will be invited to meetings to discuss significant decisions about the Royal Oak.
Operational arrangements of the Royal Oak
Back in 2018 no-one knew how much was really needed but CCPL initially believed a committee could run the pub but with Covid, the ‘cost-of-living crisis’ and past operating issues - the task of running the pub was far more complex than a volunteer committee could manage. In recognition of this the CCPL Business Model was changed in 2024 and CCPL now stand back from all operating issues and act as the landlord offering a lease to a tenant. The tenant is then responsible for all operational issues. To achieve this CCPL arranged a Licence to Underlet with the Lincoln Corn Exchange and Markets, who own the freehold. In November 2024 CCPL were then able to agree a five-year lease with Gusto Ventures Limited – who have responsibility for the management team operating the Oak on a daily basis.
Do my shares give me voting rights?
Yes. Whether your share value is £250 or £20,000 you will have a single vote and equal voice on all key decisions.
How do I get my money back?
You will be unable to withdraw your shares for the first three years. After that, should you wish to withdraw your shares, you will need to give three months’ notice to the Management Committee. You cannot sell or transfer your shares, although they are inheritable, and withdrawals will only be approved by the Management Committee if they do not damage the business and the broader community interest in its sustainability.
The risk to the business may be mitigated by future share offers designed to increase membership, supplement working capital, and raise funds for future developments, all of which would be subject to member discussions.
Would I get my investment back if the Royal Oak fails?
In the event of business failure, all the business’s assets would be sold and the proceeds of the sale (after paying any creditors) divided between the shareholders up to the value of their shares. Subject to the sale value, you might receive all your investment back or part of it.
What redress do I have if the business fails and I lose the value of my shares?
This share offer is unregulated, as it is exempt from the Financial Services and Market Act 2000 or subsidiary regulations, which means that there is no right of complaint to the Financial Ombudsman or right if application to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. This is a standard feature of such schemes.
Will I receive interest from my shares?
Hopefully, yes! We aim to pay a reasonable interest rate to our members. Interest will be paid gross and it is each member’s responsibility to declare such earnings to HMRC if appropriate.
How do I purchase Shares?
You can purchase shares via an application form, with payment by cheque or bank transfer (BACS). The share application form plus details of payment methods is attached below and can also be found on our website www.ccpl.org.uk
How can I find out more about the project?
You can find the rules for our Society and further contact details on our website at www.ccpl.org.uk
IMPORTANT: Please consider carefully the terms above and take independent advice.
5. APPLICATION PROCEDURE
You can apply by completing the application form below, and return it with a cheque or completed BACs form for your investment to:
The Secretary, the Collingham Community Pub Ltd. c/o The Royal Oak, Station Rd, Collingham, Newark NG23 7RA.
This application is also available via our website. We will acknowledge receipt of an application and confirmation of this made by email to you.
By submitting an Application Form the Applicant offers to subscribe, on the Terms and Conditions contained in this Offer Document, for the number of shares specified, or such lesser number as may be accepted;
An Applicant who receives shares agrees to automatic membership of Collingham Community Pub Limited, registered as a Community Benefits Society and bound by its Rules;
Once an application has been submitted and approved, and shares issued, it cannot be withdrawn;
Applicants may be requested to provide additional evidence of identity to comply with money Laundering legislation
In the event of over-subscription, applications may be rejected in whole or in part, and cheques shall be destroyed and/or monies securely returned to the Applicant, not later than two months after the application has been received, without interest.
Click here to open the share application form 2026.
If you would like a printed application form sent to you , please email us with your details: Royaloakccpl@gmail.com