A Community Benefit Society (CBS) is a type of organisation that operates for the benefit of its members and the wider community.
CBSs enable cooperative ownership. Each member, no matter how many shares they purchase, will have equal decision making power. One member, one vote. This way, no matter what walk of life you come from, you will have a say in the various decisions that arise from owning the freehold of a pub.
This CBS has been registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): FCA Registration Number 9719 (Cabo Trafalgar Limited). A copy of the CBS’ rules and purpose can be found on the FCA’s mutuals register. The CBS is run by a committee that is currently made up of 8 people (11 are the maximum). Please see below for more details about the committee. Anyone can stand for the committee and if you are interested, please email us at savethetraf@gmail.com.
The purpose of the CBS is to purchase the freehold of the Traf and maintain it as a community asset in perpetuity. That’s the particularly important feature of a CBS for our situation: that if we were to secure the freehold of the Traf, the asset is then locked such that it cannot be sold for private gain. The intention is for the CBS to secure the freehold (the building) and then enter into a commercial arrangement with Oli and team to run the pub you all know and love in return for a monthly payment to the CBS. A CBS is bound to reinvest the money it receives in line with its stated aims to benefit the community.
The CBS can raise money by a number of routes (debt, donations, grants and by issuing a community share offer). Through buying shares you can become a Member of the CBS with full voting rights to steer the future direction of the CBS and support the project. Community Shares differ to shares in normal companies. Further information will be provided on this in due course/via the share offering document. Such shares do not offer dividends and cannot be freely traded, but can offer a rate of interest and are redeemable in future where the CBS has a surplus to cover this.
The People Behind Save the Traf
Below are the people that form the committee of the CBS. Each of us brings our own unique skills and talents to the committee. More than that though, we are all regulars at the Traf and passionate supporters of its continued existence. Please press the arrows next to each person’s name to find out more about them.
We are all more than happy to talk about this, or anything else with you. If you see any of us, we would love for you to come talk to us and ask us any questions you may have.
Andrew
Andrew is a local resident whose professional career spans strategy, consultancy, program management and organisational change management in the finance technology sector and other business areas. Outside of his professional sphere he has relevant fundraising experience having set up a charity and raised £170,000 to replace a pathway in a local nature reserve, and he organises local volunteers to help conserve and maintain this reserve plus another nature reserve in Wimbledon. In his spare time he enjoys drinking Oli’s beer (of course), birdwatching and listening to a ridiculously wide range of live music.
Jourdan
Jourdan is a CBS member and has been a South Wimbledon resident since 2021. He works in infrastructure finance for a large consultancy, working on the development or acquisition of assets with a particular focus on low-carbon technologies. Jourdan started his working life as a construction lawyer, a role that – somewhat surprisingly – meant he was lucky enough to play at the first ever football match at the new Wembley Stadium. Beyond work, Jourdan enjoys adding to his encyclopaedia of good pubs to visit, plays cricket for the pub team, likes a walk in the Surrey Hills with his variably behaved dog Griff and reads the occasional book.
Leah
Leah – CBS Committee member and lifelong local Merton resident.
Previously Deputy Chief Executive of LandAid, the youth homelessness charity, with a background in fundraising, corporate partnerships, stakeholder management and hosting panels and podcasts.
Previously a trustee for Wimbledon BookFest and also now co-ordinating volunteers to support the new Wimbledon Citizens Hub.
Jules
Jules is a CBS member and a long-time resident of Merton. Specialising in event branding and high-end retail graphics, Jules has built a career delivering large-scale visual solutions to an exceptionally high standard. From initial concept through to final installation. With extensive experience coordinating suppliers and production teams, Jules is known for ensuring projects run smoothly and are delivered successfully from start to finish, even in fast-paced and demanding environments. Jules makes a darn good sticker!
The Traf has been a significant part of Jules’s life over the years—from socialising there, to working behind the bar, and being involved with the Traf cricket team (more on the spectating side, as Jules would modestly point out). These experiences reflect a genuine and long-standing connection to the venue and its community. Now, as part of CBS, Jules is committed to helping preserve what makes the Traf so special.
Steve
Stephen (“Steve”) Williams – CBS Secretary & Committee member. Wandsworth (Earlsfield) resident for 13 years and solicitor with almost 20 years’ experience as a competition lawyer in private practice and since 2017 in-house. Steve has a wide range of commercial legal experience including working as a lawyer in financial services – he is currently at a large British universal bank (retail, corporate and investment banking). Steve has used this to help set up and manage the CBS and feed into negotiation for saving and buying the Traf.
Outside of work, Steve is a fan of a good pint (this is what brought him back to the Traf when it reopened in 2023), travel, languages/good company and as a random fact is a qualified ski instructor.
Rebecca
Rebecca moved to South Wimbledon two years ago from Tooting. Professionally, she is an Associate Director of a company which provides planning communications in support of renewable energy development. This includes community engagement, political consensus building and public consultation, giving her in-depth knowledge of the UK planning system. Before working in communications, Rebecca worked in campaigns encouraging youth participation in politics and has stood as a local election candidate in both England and Scotland. When she’s not working, Rebecca enjoys reading, walking (currently completing the Capital Ring) and drinking beer (a requirement of a spot on the CBS committee).
Oscar
Oscar moved to Morden in 2021 for university and has lived and worked in the area since. She works in a local charity and also has organised fundraising events in the past.
The Trafalgar is her local and is an important part of her life.
Arthur
Arthur moved to Mitcham at the end of 2024. Very quickly he found out how special the Traf was and has made it his local. While he doesn’t have a huge amount of physical property experience, Arthur works in Intellectual Property, dealing with licensing, ownership, and protection of software related inventions. Outside of work, Arthur enjoys walks and is a keen member of the Traf walking group.