MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has called for Government funding to help community groups buy and run failing or closed village pubs.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said assistance should be made available under levelling-up measures to stop villages losing ‘priceless assets’ which have served locals for years.

The Globe Inn, Milverton, is one of the latest village pubs to be put on the market with a community group announcing plans to raise funds to buy and run it.

Mr Liddell-Grainger, who represents West Somerset and will be the Conservative candidate for a new constituency outside Wellington at the next General Election, said the Government should be doing whatever it takes to help preserve such vital amenities.

He said: “Community shops are being run successfully all over the country and with the right kind of support I see no reason why community pubs should not work equally well.”

Dozens of country pubs have disappeared in the past few years, many failing to survive the Covid lockdowns, while in others tenants had been forced out by unaffordable rent increases.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: “A lot of the closures stem directly from the fact that when interest rates were low some large pub chains over-borrowed to increase their property portfolios.

“Now interest rates have risen again they find themselves trapped, having to find more money to service debts while the cost of living squeeze is reducing pub footfalls.

“But trying to wring more rent out of tenants is only going to lead to them throwing in the towel, and this is precisely the situation we are seeing at the moment.

“A pub is a priceless asset to a rural community because it is often the only place where locals can gather together.

“If local people are keen enough to buy threatened pubs and take them on and can provide viable business plans then I do not see why they should not be helped.

“Pubs have a far better chance of survival when they are community-run because they will not be shovelling huge amounts of money into the coffers of corporate chains every month.

“And if we can offer things such as business rates holidays or reductions to get community pub projects off the ground then we should be doing so because the benefits of keeping these places going extend far beyond merely providing a service for people who enjoy a pint.”

Villagers in Milverton have been looking at the model used in nearby Halse, where residents came together to buy The New Inn nearly four years ago.