From Guardian Social Enterprise Network — Communities Can Rescue their Local Amenities the Co-Operative Way

Co-operatives are viable ways of saving local amenities: This has worked and does work. No community-owned shop or pub closed in 2012. They're incredibly resilient.

Co-operatives are able to operate where others cannot: Each community shop and co-operative pub exists where other forms have failed. Co-operatives also operate where the private and public sectors are unwilling to.

Rural communities are often faced with the situation where they have to act or the service is lost: This hasn't always been the case for urban communities but is certainly on the increase. Read more: 'Communities can rescue their local amenities the co-operative way' | Guardian Social Enterprise Network