Community-owned Oakbank Inn Reopens in Sandbank, Argyll
The Oakbank Community Inn, a 160-year-old landmark in Sandbank, Argyll, reopened on December 20, 2025, as a community-owned pub following a three-year restoration initiative.
The pub had closed at the end of 2022, leaving the village without a local gathering spot after the loss of the nearby Holy Loch Inn.
In response, a local group chaired by Sue McKillop was formed in January 2023 to save the pub. Support included a Scottish Land Fund grant of just under £150,000 awarded in December 2024, which covered most of the purchase price, complemented by share sales raising over £23,000 in January 2025. Keys were obtained in April 2025, and Dawn Petherick serves as the development officer.
Renovations relied on thousands of volunteer hours and involved updating the bar to a sky blue color while retaining the original wood burner.
Beyond functioning as a pub, the Oakbank aims to serve as a community hub, hosting knitting groups, book clubs, exhibitions, and sober nights to reduce social isolation.
Future plans include adding upstairs accommodation, creating a studio/gallery space in the adjoining cottage, renovating the kitchen, sourcing hyper-local vegetables from the community garden, and building a deck and bridge connecting to the marina.
Plunkett UK highlights that community-owned pubs have a 98% five-year survival rate, underscoring the importance of such initiatives in protecting vital social spaces. This is particularly significant given the nearby Strone Inn's impending closure, emphasizing Oakbank's role in supporting the Sandbank community.
