A CAMPAIGN to turn a pub into a community free house has been launched on Crowdfunder.

The Save the Greys group wants to raise £300,000 through the share offer and then top up the final figure needed with grants and sponsorship incentives they have applied for.

The Greys in Hanover, Brighton, currently under threat of closure and redevelopment, is a renowned live music venue that has won numerous awards over the years.

It has played host to some of the leading performers in the international folk, blues and country music scenes.

The plan is to buy The Greys from its current owner the Ei Group and revitalise it, building on its past strengths and creating a true asset for the community.

Members of the public can invest £25 or £250 as a shareholder but the organisers will not be asking for cash until the target has been reached.

The group has lodged an application with HMRC that, if successful, will mean taxpayers will receive up to 50 per cent relief on their investment.

If financial targets are met, shareholders will receive annual interest on their investment.

Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas said: “Local pubs play such an important role in our communities, and with so many at risk of closure and redevelopment, I fully support the Crowdfunder to purchase The Greys and keep it open for community use.

“It’s a pub that’s full of character with such potential to be an amazing community resource in residents’ hands.

“I wish the campaign every success and I hope that everyone gets behind the Crowdfunder so The Greys can remain open to serve the Hanover area as a meeting place, live entertainment venue, and so much more, for many years to come.”

To join the campaign, go to savethegreys.co.uk or facebook.com/SaveTheGreysPub

The current owner, the Ei Group, is one of the leading leased and tenanted pub business in the UK, owning more than 5,000 pubs.

It has said it wants to rationalise its estate and in the immediate area within the past five years has sold The Horse and Groom, The Albion Inn, The Cuthbert and The Rose Hill Tavern.