Ickleton Community Pub

The Ickleton Lion is a community owned pub which will operate as a Community Benefit Society, registered with the FCA no9308. The project is to install a commercial kitchen for the safe hygienic preparation of food by and for the community. We initially hoped we would be able to deep-clean and reuse much of the existing kitchen equipment. However, we have been advised by an experienced Environmental Health Officer that due to poor maintenance by previous tenants, a long period of disuse and significant rodent infestation that caused damage to the equipment, the whole area requires stripping back – with all wall and floor coverings and almost all equipment replaced, in order to comply with current fire, gas, or food safety and hygiene standards.
The Ickleton Community Pub Kitchen Renovation Project includes:
Replacement non-slip flooring and hygienic wall cladding (including rectifying cracks, loose joints etc. in the existing timber floor)
Deep clean of existing extraction system; replacement of fan & filters, recommission & linkage to fire safety system
Purchase and installation of new kitchen equipment: to include ovens, fryers (x2 to avoid cross contamination for gluten free customers), griddle, microwaves, fridge, food processor, sink, taps, glasswasher, food preparation tables etc – the LCF funding will be used towards this last element. General electrical works will be carried out by volunteer electricians as part of the overall renovation of the building.

In addition to offering drinks the Ickleton Lion will serve as a community café and warm, inclusive space for residents to come together and enjoy a variety of shared activities and events such as a ‘low cost lunch’ club, dementia café and cookery classes. These aim to bridge the intergenerational divide and address the issue of social isolation and loneliness in our community. We have above average numbers of young families and residents aged 65+ living in the village and a significant number of people living with a disability or long term health condition or who provide unpaid care, who are at risk of loneliness. Hosting additional services such as a mobile post office, advice outreach and community fridge will address the broader needs of the community; please see our community benefit plan for more details.

Furthermore, our community business will support the local economy by using local suppliers & creating employment and apprenticeships, including opportunities for those who may traditionally face barriers to employment. Volunteer input will be required, to help with building and garden maintenance, coordination of some community activities and potentially to support general operations early on, offering the chance for residents to make new friends and develop new skills that could support a move back into the workplace.