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 Village pubs are often at the heart of the community - the life and soul of a village. Some, however, go that step further.
Some double up as a post office or shop, while others provide much needed creche facilities or meeting places for parish councils and local clubs.
Celebration of such establishments was the key to the Calor Rural Pub in the Community Award, which finished in 2007.
More About the Competition
The Calor Rural Pub in the Community Award searched for the UK’s best Rural Pub in the Community. The pub is traditionally at the heart of a village and the importance of encouraging sustainable communities is at the very core of the Calor Village of the Year competition.
Calor supported the award to celebrate pubs that have diversified their businesses to offer their local community a wider range of services. Pubs which have found innovative ways in which to do this, and help their own business succeed in the process, will be highlighted. Calor helped showcase best practice and ideas that other rural pubs and licensees can adopt.
Today it’s often not enough for a village pub just to serve great food and drink. To survive in the 21st century, rural hostelries need to evolve, diversify, become, quite literally, the hub of village life.
The Gun in Chiddingly - 2007 Winner
 The Gun in Chiddingly was announced the winner of the Calor Rural Pub in the Community award for 2007
Since taking over The Gun in 2006, landlord and landlady Martial and Natasha Chaussey transformed the 15th century farmhouse pub into an essential part of the local community.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Calor bulk marketing manager Laura Luty said: ”The disappearance of significant facilities and services from UK villages is increasing, yet it is encouraging to see many pubs are taking on the role of the hub of the community by providing more than just a drinking venue. A good example is the local shop at The Gun, which was opened in the old coach house after the local village shop closed, restoring a vital service that many of the villagers rely on.
"Natasha and Martial have also found a way of giving something back to its local community by incorporating a small surcharge on certain dishes on the menu. Money raised from this scheme goes towards supporting the local primary school’s healthy eating education programme, something which benefits the younger residents of the village.”
The pub also offers wireless Internet connection for customer use and a specially created parking bay for horses, complete with fresh hay bales.Landlady Natasha Chaussy said: “I was really pleased to find out the pub had been shortlisted as a finalist especially as this is a national competition, but to win it is an absolute honour."
The Mare & Foal in Yeoford, Devon and The Talbot in Knightwick, Worcester were also given highly commended awards as part of the competition.
Master Robert Inn - 2006 Winner
 A Hampshire pub dedicated to offering local facilities and going the extra mile for the community won The Calor Rural Pub In The Community Award 2006.
Pauline Davey and her partner Tim Smith purchased the Master Robert Inn, Buriton, in January 2005 and quickly made the pub their own. As the village had lost its post office and shop, the function room at the back of the pub was transformed to bring back the much needed facilities. But, unusually for a village store and indeed a pub, Pauline and Tim take phone orders from the elderly or house-bound in the village and deliver their goods personally.
Pauline was left speechless when the Master Robert was announced as the overall winner over three other finalists. After the ceremony she said: “It’s a real team effort and winning this award will mean as much to all of our staff as it does to me and Tim. It just makes all the hard work seem worth it.”.
The three other finalists, given highly commended honours were The True Lovers Knot, Tarrant Keynston, Dorset, The Fighting Cocks, Stottesdon, Shropshire and The Fox Inn, Honington, Suffolk.
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