Village pub near Harborough smashes £30,000 crowdfunding target within a few days

A village pub near Market Harborough, which launched a crowdfunder to aid refurbishment amid rising costs, has smashed its target within four days.

The Tollemache Arms in Harrington - better known as The Tolly - launched a crowdfunder to raise £30,000 in 30 days from March 29 for a refurbishment, or ‘Tolly 2.0’.

Within four days, the target had been hit. The team behind the pub had not even launched all of their rewards, which customers bid on to raise money, before the target was reached.

Following the news, owner Joe Buckley posted on social media: “We are a little pub, that dreams big and punches above its weight! We never thought this would be successful but thought why not, like everything we do, we kind of try really bl**dy hard!!

“Well…. We did it….. and quickly, which had taken us by surprise!

“Our pub feels very loved today!

"We had a plan of how to do our best, £30,000 was our minimum to try and achieve, we are blown away to have done it so quick but we want to carry on with our plan as we have so many more rewards to bring!”

The crowdfunder was originally launched as Joe said the “one-of-a-kind” pub is in need of a refurbishment, as “she has been well used over the last 10 years”. However, he said with the rising cost of living, it would be impossible for them to tackle the challenge alone, so he called on customers to help “breathe new life into this historic gem, ensuring it remains a vibrant hub for good times, great food, and lasting memories”.

Joe says the plan is to upgrade every area, from the toilets to a new improved bar area and an upgraded restaurant. The hope is to make customers’ experiences “the best ever” and become “the best pub in the UK”.

The crowdfunder saw supporters pledge a chosen amount of money, in return for something like meal vouchers, banquet experiences, exclusive dinners and more, as well as their names on the Tolly Wall of Fame.

Although the target has been reached, more rewards are on offer, so the crowdfunder will continue.

Visit the crowdfunding page her to pledge in exchange for an experience.