The fund, which has been available since April 2013, aims to offer money to licensees who are looking to broaden their services to the wider community but are unable to find suitable funding from other sources. 

With grants of up to £3,000 available, applicants must show that they will be offering a new service or replacing a service or activity that has already been lost to the community such as a local shop or a library.

Rooney Anand, Greene King's chief executive, said: "Pubs are frequently the heartbeat of the community and often provide more than just a pint for their locals.

The Community Services Fund offers important support to pubs enabling them to give their communities additional services. This can make a huge difference in rural areas where other traditional services, such as a post office or butchers, are no longer available.

"We are proud to have supported Pub is The Hub for the fourth year running and bringing our total to £60,000 so far, it has been heartening to see how the money has been used for the benefit of visitors to the pub."