Beloved community-owned pub given legal protection
Geraldine SymondsA pub which was saved by villagers - with the help of a Hollywood star - has been given legal protection.
The Swan in Enford reopened in April after two new villagers helped the community buy the Wiltshire pub's freehold, while a roster of volunteers, including Rupert Everett, offered their time to keep the venue going after the licensee left.
The pub, which is the only one in the village, has now been classed as an Asset of Community Value, meaning the community will have the right to bid for the building if the owner ever chooses to sell.
A spokesperson for Enford Parish Council said the protection would "preserve the social fabric and wellbeing of our village for years to come".
In its submission to Wiltshire Council, Enford Parish Council said it was "clear" the pub was "an asset of significant value to the community" and highlighted the "continued commitment" from volunteers to keep it open.
In reaching its decision to grant the protection, Wiltshire Council said: "The commitment of the community to come together to buy the freehold demonstrates that it is likely the pub and its ability to further social wellbeing could continue into the future".
Everett - who moved to Wiltshire in 2018 to care for his mother - previously said the "whole village showed up" to support the Swan Inn when it closed, showing "how important communities" were in the area.
When the pub reopened, Sophie Elena Cooper, majority shareholder of the Swan along with her husband Andrew Wiggins, said there had been a "whirlwind of activity" to get the pub up and running and volunteers had "continued to provide huge support".
Sophie CooperThe pub is a grade-II listed former coaching inn which dates back to the 17th Century, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The Countryside Alliance named it the Best Rural Pub in 2018 and it has been included in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide for several years.
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