Regulars at a popular Bath pub have now had their offer to buy it officially accepted.
A rapid fundraising drive saw a co-operative formed to protect the character of the Bell in Walcot Street bring in nearly £800,000 in just a few weeks.
The campaign aim had been to get £500,000 to buy the pub noted for its live music and distinctive character after long-term owner Ian Wood put it up for sale.
But The Bell Inn Community Buyout raised £787,495, which along with a bank loan, allowed the group to put in a formal offer.
Shares of between £500 and £20,000 were on offer, with the average stake being £1,463.
The news that Mr Wood had accepted the offer came in a tweet last night, which said: "Share offer update: Ian has accepted our offer and we are now waiting for contracts to be exchanged. Woop!"
City MP Don Foster responded: "Well done to all at @thebellinnbath. Fantastic effort all round."
More than 500 people invested in the share scheme, with the exact offer made to Mr Wood undisclosed.
The group plans to open another share offer once the sale process has been completed.
On its website, it says the project leaders will be diligent in ensuring that structural surveys are satisfactory.
"Anyone who has bought or sold a property will know the complexity and the boxes to be ticked. For an acquisition such as this, one may multiply those factors by two or three."
Mr Wood, who has owned the Bell for 23 years, decided to put the pub on the market, and punters were worried it might be taken over by a national chain.
The pub was put up for sale last autumn for £925,000.
A number of famous faces threw their support behind the campaign.
These included Robert Plant, Michael Eavis, Peter Gabriel, Will Gregory, from Goldfrapp, Portishead, The Stranglers, Baka Beyond, The Wurzels, Midge Ure, Clare Teal, Eddie Martin, The Vaccines, Radio Banska, Gabrielle Aplin and The Darkness, who have either bought shares or sent messages of support.
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