PEOPLE across East Lancashire have been urged to help save their pubs.

With an average of 26 closing every week across the country, according to the Campaign for Real Ale, campaign group Co-operatives UK has s called on North West communities to step in and save their beloved hostelries, all for the price of just four pints a week.

New research for Co-operatives UK shows that 18 per cent of people in the North West would be likely to invest to save their local pub if it was threatened with closure.

Co-operative pubs are owned by members of the community, with everyone having an equal say and share of the profits.

Encouraged by support from high profile public figures, such as Stephen Fry, musician Robert Plant, Olympic medal winners Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee, and William Hague MP, the number of co-operatively owned pubs in the UK is growing.

There are now 22 in total, double the number for last year, although the closest to East Lancashire are in Cumbria and Salford.

A new form of finance, community shares, provides local residents with the option to own their neighbourhood pub.

Data from Co-operatives UK sets the average amount invested by each person at £650, the equivalent to four pints a week, though many people invest from as little as £50.

Ed Mayo, secretary general of Co-operatives UK, said: “Communities really value their pubs and with so many closing down it’s reassuring to know that up to 10 million people would be willing to step in to save their local.

“When much-loved facilities, such as village shops and pubs, are threatened, communities can work together to save them by forming a co-operative. “