'It has been a lot of effort to get the pub open'

The landlord of a 17th Century community pub in Devon is "very proud" after it won an award, he says.

The Drewe Arms, in Drewsteignton, near Okehampton, was crowned the winner of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) inaugural heritage award.

Landlord Simon Saunders, brother of Absolutely Fabulous and French & Saunders star Jennifer Saunders, said the pub was bought by the community following a crowdfunding campaign.

Speaking to BBC Radio Devon, Mr Saunders said: "We are very proud. It has been a lot of effort, from a lot of people, over quite a long time, to get the pub open again and preserve it for the future."

Mr Saunders said the old pub did not have a bar, but instead had a serving hatch.

He said: "The thing that's very particular about it, is it has an unaltered interior.

"The principal reason it didn't get altered in the 20th Century is it had the same landlady from 1919 until 1994."

He said the pub's previous landlady, Mable Mudge, served for 75 years before retiring at the age of 99.

"By which time she was the longest-serving licensee and the oldest licensee, holding two records. A remarkable lady."

The pub was bought by the community in 2023 after its freehold was put up for sale.

"The community was able to step in and buy it. "A lot of work from a lot of people went into that," Mr Saunders said.

He said the level of support from the community was "very moving and almost overwhelming".

Mr Saunders said there was a committee which oversaw the administration and overall running of the pub, adding he was employed as landlord to maintain the pub.

"It now belongs to the community forever," he said.

Paul Ainsworth, heritage award coordinator, said it was "incredibly hard" to reopen a pub once its doors close.

He said: "That is why these awards are so important. The hard work and dedication shown by these campaigns to save local pubs deserve recognition."

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