Thirty-four new community-owned businesses opened in 2025, taking the sector to 869 trading businesses across the UK, according to Plunkett UK’s latest Impact Report, launched at The Shard in London yesterday (10 June).
Community ownership continues to gather momentum across the UK, with 34 new community-owned businesses opening during 2025 despite ongoing economic pressures and the continued loss of rural services.
The figures were unveiled at the launch of Plunkett UK’s 2026 Impact Report, bringing together supporters, partners, policymakers and community business leaders to celebrate the impact of community ownership.
The report shows there are now 869 community-owned businesses trading across the UK – a 67% increase over the past decade – with around 1,000 community ownership projects currently in development.
A growing movement
For Plunkett UK, the figures demonstrate both the growing demand for community ownership and the impact communities can achieve when equipped with the right support, expertise and business model.
During the last year, Plunkett:
- supported 34 new community-owned businesses to open,
- provided advice to 366 community groups,
- delivered specialist business support to 200 community groups,
- ran 50 training events and webinars benefiting almost 1,600 people.
The Maybush, Great Oakley (Essex), who are featured in the report
Plunkett has now supported almost 900 community businesses to open, helping communities safeguard valued local assets and create enterprises that are owned by local people and run for community benefit.
The report demonstrates that when communities are supported with the right expertise, governance and business model, they create businesses that deliver lasting benefits for local people.
James Alcock, Chief Executive of Plunkett UK, said: “Plunkett plays a pivotal role in inspiring and guiding communities – supporting both the creation of new enterprises and the strengthening of those already in operation.
“We will continue to work closely with partners and funders to access new resources, and build resilience of the sector, ensuring communities not only survive, but thrive.”
Creating lasting impact
Through specialist advice, training, governance support and advocacy, Plunkett helps communities create businesses that are built around community benefit from day one – businesses that are resilient, inclusive and rooted in local need.
Today, community-owned businesses supported through Plunkett’s work benefit an estimated 2.2 million people across rural communities and generate a combined annual turnover of £174 million.
The report also highlights the remarkable resilience of the sector. Despite extremely challenging trading conditions, community-owned businesses continue to achieve a 98% five-year survival rate, significantly outperforming traditional SMEs.
These businesses do more than provide goods and services; they create places where people can connect, belong and build stronger communities.
Plunkett works with community businesses to deliver meaningful impact in five distinct ways, by safeguarding access to a range of goods and services, boosting the local economy, creating opportunities for employment, training and volunteering, tackling climate change, and promoting equity, diversity and inclusion by creating safe and welcoming spaces for all.
Launching the report
Guests attending the launch event at The Shard heard from community business leaders about the impact their businesses are having locally, and the role Plunkett has played in helping them succeed.
A discussion chaired by Plunkett’s George Ogier featured Rosie Plummer of Dryslwyn Community Shop and Amanda Reynolds of The Six Bells in Peterstone, representing both successful community-owned businesses and groups currently working towards community ownership.
Rosie described the difference the shop makes to people. “We give people laughter and fun and upskilling and just participating brings people out of their very often isolated lives. It means we can provide guidance and support, bringing together retired people with amazing talents and insights alongside younger people across the generations.”
“All of us are very passionate about our local areas, but one of the valuable things Plunkett does for us is that collective, evidence-based work, representing us with politicians at a high level. We wouldn’t have the power or leverage to do that ourselves. It’s a hugely valuable thing to represent our sector.”
From left to right: Jessica Craig (Power to Change), Amanda Reynolds (Six Bells, Peterstone), Rosie Plummer (Dryslwyn Community Shop) and George Ogier (Plunkett UK)
Speaking about their journey to take on the Six Bells as a community-owned pub, Amanda said, “Our aim is to develop a pub but with a café vibe to ensure it’s inclusive for everybody and utilising resources in our area. We want a community hub which is focused on education, environment and wellbeing for all.
“The More Than ethos is front and centre of everything for us. Right from the start we really needed to think wider than just a pub. Through collaboration with our community, we established what people wanted from this building and we’ve evolved our model around that.”
Jessica Craig, Policy Manager at Power to Change, who was also on the panel, said: “Social impact is not just incidental to the operations of community business, it is core to their business model. We see that through the opportunities they’re creating, the services they’re running, the assets they’re stewarding and saving, and the different ways they’re meeting the needs of people and communities.”
James Alcock added, “We’re not just seeing a collection of almost 900 community businesses, we’re seeing a movement. It’s a movement not just of those businesses, but of employees, volunteers, shareholders, partners and supporters who believe in the future of rural communities.”
Plunkett UK’s Impact Report 2026 launch event was generously sponsored by Mova, with support from Ampa and The Sky Wave Distilling Co.
Mova supports nationally important infrastructure projects, delivering solutions that benefit people across the UK. As trusted partners for complex programmes, Mova’s vision is for a digitally connected United Kingdom, where nobody is left behind.
Ben Roome, CEO of Mova, said: “Community businesses sit at the heart of local life, and reliable connectivity can be vital to their success. Whether it’s taking payments, reaching customers, or connecting to suppliers and services, a good mobile service allows businesses to thrive. It strengthens local cohesion and helps build resilient communities.”
