AN appeal made to the Winsford community to help raise £150,000 to ‘save the De Bees building’ has officially launched.

The Hive Live, a ‘local charitable Community Benefit Scheme run by Winsford businessman Damon Horrill, is attempting to raise £400,000 to keep the building running as a live music venue and community asset, after former owners Enterprise Inns decided to sell up.

The group has paid a deposit on the building in a bid to block any sale to property developers and now has two weeks to find the remaining funds.

Various grants have been secured, meaning that just £150,000 out of the total £400,000 is sought from a community share scheme.

Damon said: “We want to save the venue from closure and its being sold on for redevelopment in the way The Swan, The Oddies, The Denbigh, The White Lion, The Bingo Hall and now The Golden Lion have been in recent years.

"Winsford needs places for the community to meet and socialise if we don't act now the town will lose De Bees too, the only performance venue left in town.

"There have now been over 100 communities around the country who have successfully purchased their pubs into community ownership in order to save them from redevelopment.

"We hope The Hive is successful and is able to operate the venue for the betterment of this community for generations to come."

Go to crowdfunder.co.uk/the-hive-saving-de-bees-community-shares for more information.