South Cambs MP Pippa Heylings has hailed the "community spirit" of residents in Ickleton, who are urgently trying to raise £450k to save the last pub in the village.
The Ickleton Lion has been a pub for more than 300 years, but is being sold by Greene King after closing its doors a year ago.
As the pub has been registered an Asset of Community Value, Greene King are prevented from exchanging contracts to sell the pub other than to a community interest group before September 24.
A community benefit society set up by Ickleton residents has already raised nearly two thirds of its target in share pledges and purchases over the the last eight weeks, as well as securing a £45k grant from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority in partnership with Plunkett UK.
Both Ms Heylings and Cllr Peter McDonald attended an afternoon tea in Ickleton on August 17 to raise funds for the campaign.
Ickleton resident Rachel Radford, chair of Ickleton Community Pub Ltd, said: "We have been so overwhelmed by the support so far including from people who saw our campaign on the news and wanted to help from afar.
"We’re also delighted to be awarded the Combined Authority grant, which will help towards the purchase of the pub.
"We’re so close but without a last minute surge of support, we’re worried we’ll fall short of the target and the pub will be at risk of redevelopment.
"The Lion has been part of the social fabric of the area since 1728 and this really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure its future."
The share offer is set to close on Saturday (August 31), and the society urgently needs more people to join their growing community of shareholders so the funding does not fall short.
So far more than 270 people have bought shares in Ickleton Community Pub Ltd so far, and the society has received support from Plunkett UK, which supports people in rural areas to set up and run successful businesses in community ownership.
Shares cost £1 with a minimum investment of £200 and every member – irrespective of their shareholding – will have an equal say in the running of the pub.
Shares issued to individuals qualify for tax relief under the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), when certain conditions are met.
You can buy shares at www.ickletonlionpub.co.uk, by emailing info@ickletonlionpub.co.uk or by calling 07752162002.
Ms Heylings said: It's wonderful to see such community spirit in Ickleton and the generosity of those who have already become shareholders to save this treasured pub.
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"In rural villages like Ickleton, the pub can really be the heart of the village and connect the community.
"I can see just how professional, committed and with what passion the village is fighting for this.
"I wish the campaign the very best success in the final weeks and hope people in the area - whether they've visited Ickleton before or not - will consider playing a part in securing the Lion's future."
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