The Bell Inn's regulars banded together in a bid to acquire the Bell Inn at Yarpole from Ei Group plc.

Ei Group plc, formerly Enterprise Inns plc, is a leased and tenanted pub company in the United Kingdom. The Company includes a portfolio of businesses comprising a range of operating models and trading styles. Its businesses include Ei Publican Partnerships, Ei Commercial Properties, Ei Managed Operations and Ei Managed Investments. Its Ei Commercial Properties business manages a developing portfolio of assets, which it leases to third parties on commercial property terms. Its business also provides asset management support for its leased and tenanted, and managed house businesses. The Ei Managed Operations business manages approximately 100 pubs with over 30 trading under its Bermondsey operation and approximately 70 under its Craft Union operation. It also develops standalone and residential sites on land that is surplus to pub requirements. The Company has over 4,400 properties that are run as leased and tenanted pubs.