A bid to stop last orders being called at an East Hampshire pub could draw on lessons from the past.

Around a dozen people met in Rake Village Hall last night in the first step of a bid to save the Flying Bull from permanent closure.

A decade ago the watering hole on London Road was thriving, hosting beer and music festivals and finishing a highly-respectable second on Four in a Bed.

But the taps ran dry a couple of months ago and today it stands boarded up and foreboding, its car park sealed off with large concrete blocks.

Ruth Taylor and Matt Enticknap have been here before, as the pair from nearby Liss Forest were heavily involved in the campaign to save The Temple Inn.

And they believe the same tactics – surveys, politely pestering the owners, canvassing and getting the building listed through Rogate Parish Council as an Asset of Community Value – could be used to save the Flying Bull.

“I’ve got no idea if it this will work or not but if we don’t give it a go then I think we’re selling the village short a little,” said Ruth in opening the meeting.

“The Temple Inn was in a similar position a few years ago and we had no idea what was going on.

“It’s a great little pub now but the Flying Bull has a better site, is a better building and is in a lovely position.”

There’s already been some research with villagers learning that owners Admiral Taverns want to sell but have hardly been proactive, as they haven’t listed it at the time of writing with no bids received.

In the meantime a planning application to build three houses next door has been lodged by Flying Bull Properties Ltd, although that’s the latest in a series of applications for the adjacent site.

The first stage in their bid to help the Flying Bull rise again will be selecting a chair, with more than half those in the room offering to become committee members.

Names and email addresses were taken with roles ranging from chairman and secretary to social media guru likely to be confirmed in due course, along with a catchy name.

Attendees also heard it’s important to scorch rumours and let people know the village won’t let this local die.

“The first thing we did with The Temple campaign was have a big brainstorm and we didn’t discount anything,” said Ruth.

“We also got the ACV, which really helped and bought us some time, but none of this happened overnight. We learned a lot by looking into it.”

A similar campaign has begun in East Meon with a public meeting taking place at the village hall next Wednesday (November 12) in a bid to reopen the Izaak Walton.

Plans are being considered to form a Community Benefit Society which allows residents to invest, have a say, and ensures it remains a community asset for years to come.

The meeting will begin at 7.30pm, all welcome.