Progress Report & Updates
The Goal
The campaign goal is to purchase the property, refurbish and refit it for operation as a thriving and profitable community pub, keeping this special gem at the heart of Hampton village for generations to come.
Since inception, The Save the Dip campaign continues to build strong momentum, transforming from a local concern into a powerful demonstration of what communities can achieve when they unite behind a shared vision.
Led by Robert Lee, and with strong local support, this inspiring initiative has grown to over 450 committed members, working together to secure the future of the beloved Railway Bell pub, known locally as "The Dip."
This historic 19th-century establishment has been Hampton's social heartbeat for over 160 years and seven generations. The campaign's rallying cry – "Once it's gone, it's gone!" – has galvanised residents who understand that some community treasures simply cannot be replaced.
Progress Reports for the Campaign
Next Report - 1st October 2025
Last Report - 1st July 2025 (see below)
Progress Report 1, dated 1st July 2025
Outstanding Community Engagement at the Hampton Hub
The Hampton Hub (in Ashley Road, TW12) has proven to be the perfect catalyst to engage and mobilise the community, hosting two successful public meetings that have demonstrated the depth of local passion for preserving The Dip and bringing together hundreds of residents in a welcoming, accessible venue.
First Public Meeting Success – April 4th, 2025
The campaign's first major milestone came when over 120 Hampton and Hampton Hill residents packed the Hampton Hub in April 2025. This remarkable turnout, only a few week after Robert Lee started the initiative, included strong representation from Richmond Council members, including Council Leader Gareth Roberts who is a local resident and understands the pub's vital community role.
Robert Lee's proposal was refreshingly straightforward: maintain The Railway Bell as a functioning pub, either through encouraging a local operator or, if commercial challenges make this unfeasible, acquire the property and operate it as a Community Benefit Society. In response, two sub-groups were formed to tackle community engagement and commercial viability respectively.
Building on Success – June 4th Meeting
The second Hampton Hub meeting on June 4th reinforced the campaign's growing strength, again drawing impressive attendance and continued council support, including veteran ward councillor Suzette Nicholson alongside Gareth Roberts. The Hub once more proved its worth as a catalyst for a community response.
Key updates included reports on two thorough property inspections by commercial sub-group members accompanied by pub operator experts, plus clarification of Stonegate's marketing timeline to identify interested parties by mid-August. Importantly, these inspections confirmed that Stonegate's advertised price significantly overvalues the property, reflecting neither the necessary refurbishment costs nor the highly constrained potential for residential change-of-use.
Strategic Positioning for Success
Rather than being discouraged by Stonegate's unrealistic pricing, the Group's objective is to be strategically positioned to capitalise when the expected market reality emerges in the autumn 2025. Robert Lee continues progressing the crucial Asset of Community Value application, which would provide significant protection and support for the group's acquisition goals.
Note: a few weeks later, the local council designated The Railway Bell as an Asset of Community Value giving the community to ,match any genuine offer accepted by Stonegate, the current owner.
Funding Requirement
The funding requirement is estimated at £900,000-£1 million. While substantial, this goal received overwhelming community backing at the meeting, with several residents expressing interest in providing significant capital contributions. The commercial sub-group is actively engaging with these and other potential local investors while surveying broader community interest levels.
Exceptional Prospects for Success
The Save the Dip campaign enjoys several compelling advantages that make success highly achievable. Hampton's significant and affluent population provides a strong foundation for both funding and ongoing support. The central area genuinely needs a third pub, and The Dip's regeneration would perfectly complement existing establishments while protecting against future losses to residential conversion.
Most importantly, both Hub meetings have demonstrated overwhelming local love for The Dip, with residents clearly committed to maintaining this treasured community asset. The Save the Dip campaign isn't just nostalgia – it's strategic community planning to maintain a very important element of Hampton for generations to come. As one of the campaign’s main messages stresses: “once it's gone, it's gone!"
Proven Model, Proven Success
Community pub acquisitions represent a well-established and successful model across the UK. Villages much smaller than Hampton have successfully purchased and operated their local pubs, while communities have raised similar amounts for other assets – including £900,000 for forest preservation in Scotland's border region. These precedents demonstrate that Save the Dip's funding target, while ambitious, is entirely achievable for a community of Hampton's size and prosperity.
See a list of success stories here.
A Bright Future Ahead
With over 450 supporters, strong council backing including continued attendance from Gareth Roberts, excellent strategic positioning and the Hampton Hub providing the perfect platform for community engagement, the Save the Dip campaign has every ingredient for success. The August timeline provides clear focus, while the overwhelming community support demonstrated at both Hub meetings shows that the goal of saving this community treasure is within our grasp.