Pub saved after village's 'slog' to raise £300k

A "slog" to raise more than £300,000 has paid off for a rural village which has bought, renovated and reopened its only pub.

The Fisher's Arms, in Horncliffe, near Berwick-upon-Tweed, shut in 2021 and there were plans to turn it in to housing.

However, villagers were dismayed at the idea of losing the pub, which dates back to 1760, and set about raising the money to buy it.

Two years on, and after one villager spent 300 hours filling in just one form for a grant application, it has reopened as a community hub with new tenants.

Frances Robson, 41, who has lived in Horncliffe all her life and helps run her family's honey farm, said villagers had never wavered in their determination to save their last amenity.

The village no longer has a post office or a shop.

"This is a beautiful part of Northumberland which is a haven for walkers and cyclists," Ms Robson said.

"We have the River Tweed and Chain Bridge as attractions, as well as good beer and good produce.

"We are determined the pub will prosper and our message to others wanting to do the same thing is: 'Don't listen to the naysayers who say it won't work - just crack on.'"

The pub, which is on the border between England and Scotland, closed in November 2021 and was made the subject of an Asset of Community Value (ACV) Order by Northumberland County Council, preventing the use of the building changing.

Over the last two years, the buyout and renovation campaign has been backed by North East celebrities including Hairy Biker Si King and rock group Lindisfarne.

Louise Giddens, 70, said the village's 403 residents were unified in saving the pub as a safe haven to come to during emergencies in bad weather.

Horncliffe is not on the electricity grid, and during 2021's Storm Arwen villagers had to "huddle" round at each other's homes when the power went off.

"The Fisher's Arms has moved on from being a workingmen's pub to a hub for everyone," she said.

"I cannot imagine living in a village so rural without a pub.

"This had been our baby for two years and now we hand it over to new tenants.

"It has been a relentless hard slog, but worth it. We need it to come to when things are challenging."

It cost £185,000 to buy the pub and villagers helped raise the money by selling shares for £500.

Ms Giddens said 75% of shareholders lived within a 15-minute walk of the pub.

The pot was also boosted with grants, including from the National Lottery and the Berwick Community Trust.

To secure £65,000 from the government's community asset fund, Ms Giddens spent 300 hours filling in a 75-page form.

"We would not have got this far without our volunteers, shareholders and investors.

"We are forever grateful," she said.

The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) said pubs had been closing at an "alarming" rate with the Covid pandemic making matters worse.

"It’s unfortunate that many owners regard pubs primarily as property assets, more valuable if their use can be changed to a house or shop, " a spokesperson said.

"However, communities are fighting back. Sometimes effective campaigning is sufficient to see off an unwanted planning application."

The body said that often the best way forward was for locals to buy their pub.

It said there were more than 150 community-owned pubs in the UK with many more in the pipeline.

The last two years are just the beginning of the journey.

The pub will need to generate an income of thousands of pounds a month to keep going, according to Ms Giddens.

Currently, two upstairs rooms are being converted for bed and breakfast guests.

New tenants Kasia Kozik and John Graham said their new restaurant will champion local produce, including salmon from the River Tweed.

Mr Graham, a chef with 25 years' experience and 10 of those at Michelin star level, said: "With the backing of the community we are going to do a fantastic job for them."

Being green and having a low carbon footprint is important to villagers.

Solar panels have been installed on the roof and layers of sheep wool have been used to insulate the loft.

As well as being green and sustainable, villagers want more than a drinking place and the pub is also a cultural hub with craft groups and music nights.

Villager Nick Allmark said: "A decaying, worn-out building has been transformed into a welcoming place with a real buzz."

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