Winsford’s The Gate to reopen under co-op ownership model

The Gate, located in Winsford, will officially become a worker-owned co-op on July 1, giving staff legal ownership of the business and a direct say in its future.

The venue has been reimagined by Cornerstone Inns, the company behind its recent revitalisation.

Cornerstone Inns has designed a new ownership model to protect community pubs and keep them in the hands of those who run and use them.

In a statement, the founding team at The Gate said: "If you look at British pubs right now, many are closing down or being squeezed dry by corporate pub co-owners.

"We believe that a true local pub belongs to its community and its workers.

"By making The Gate a worker-owned co-op, we are guaranteeing that the passion, the profits, and the decisions stay exactly where they belong: right here in Winsford."

Under the new co-operative model, profits will be reinvested into the community and the long-term security of the pub.

Once running costs are covered and staff receive performance bonuses, all remaining profit will go into a community vault.

Seventy-five per cent of those funds will be locked away to purchase the pub’s freehold, protecting it from private landlords and corporate buyers.

The remaining 25 per cent will be distributed to registered members - known as 'Friends of The Gate' - through a participatory budgeting process.

Members will be able to pitch and vote on how the funds are used, supporting Winsford charities, youth groups, or other community projects.

The pub’s highest decision-making body, the 'Mission Circle', will also include representatives from the Friends of The Gate, ensuring the community maintains a real voice in its future direction.

Cornerstone Inns, which has twice won 'Best Community Operator' at the Publican Awards, said the co-op model is a tangible way to keep more pubs in community hands.

The Gate is the first pub in the UK to trial this approach.

The team believes it can serve as a blueprint for other towns looking to protect their hospitality venues from closure or corporate takeover.

The model is designed to keep pubs rooted in their communities, with decisions made by the people who run them and those who visit.

It also ensures long-term sustainability by focusing on freehold ownership and reinvestment into locally led projects.

The Gate won 'Best Pub' and 'Best Afternoon Teas' in the 2024 Northwich & Winsford Guardian Awards.

The worker-ownership model now aims to protect that legacy for generations to come.