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Community spirit thriving at heritage winner

With nominations for the Pub Saving Awards now open, What’s Brewing caught up with the first Heritage Award winner, the Drewsteignton Benefit Society, to see how the Drewe Arms Community Pub (above) in Dartmoor, Devon has fared over the past year. Drewsteignton Benefit Society director Jane Martin said: “The CAMRA Heritage Award to the Drewe Arms Community Pub was a real boost to all involved in saving this Grade II*-listed exceptional pub in Drewsteignton, on the edge of Dartmoor. “In 2022, the pub, shop and post office closed leaving villagers isolated. A few locals got together, held surveys, meetings and pop-up pub events followed by a successful Crowdfunder community share offer, enabling the purchase of the historic pub and its reopening.