A group of volunteers working to restore a historic pub have brought their total grant award to £1.5m thanks to extra funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The George Community Pub, in Wickham Market, Suffolk, had already raised nearly £550,000 with shareholders’ funds, the Community Shares Booster Programme, Co-op and Community Finance (CCF), and another £195,000 from the Community Ownership Fund as part of the government’s levelling up programme.
It is ten years since the historic Grade II llisted building was almost destroyed by fire and eight years since locals got together to save it.
CCF says restoration will start within weeks and the first evidence of work will be the immediate reduction of the highly visible scaffolding which has long been a blot on the local landscape.
Support for the restoration of the George has been overwhelming and as many more homes are being built in Wickham Market there is a growing demand for a village pub. The George is the last remaining pub in Wickham Market which makes its survival even more important in bringing more employment and footfall to the village.
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The project has been dogged by rising costs during the inflation crisis. In November 2021 the National Lottery Heritage Fund handed volunteers a £988,200 grant which alongside shareholder funds and other grants was thought to be enough to complete the renovation. But when tenders were received for the building work, costs were far higher than original projections.
To bridge the funding gap cost savings were made wherever possible, with support from Seamans Building. Shareholders were asked once again to dig deep, and they did so generously. And finally, alongside support from the Community Ownership Fund and additional grants, the National Lottery Heritage Fund were asked to consider an increase to its original grant. These all combined to fill the funding gap and with building costs now fixed, the grant increase approved, and more shareholders on board, the project will go ahead.
A spokesman for the George Committee said: “Without the success of this project this important Grade II listed building would have been demolished and lost forever. We can now ensure that the George will be saved to serve many generations to come. As an inclusive, friendly place to meet and eat with friends and family it will be the ‘people’s pub’ and the heartbeat of a thriving village. We thank everyone that have helped with their belief and investment including National Lottery players everywhere.”
The goal is for the activity space on the first floor to be open and available as a community room and visitor centre in early spring 2024. This will be followed by the fully fitted pub which will be open and available in autumn 2024. Work will involve specialised skills to preserve the ancient timbers and heritage features of the building, many of which will be left exposed as a record of the restoration.
Downstairs will feature a bar, restaurant, modern kitchen, and beer garden while upstairs there will be a purpose-built community space accessible by lift and stairs. A programme of well-being activities is in development to be funded by the pub, so that all in the community irrespective of their physical, mental, or financial situation will have an inclusive place in which to meet and socialise.
Construction will follow the latest and most energy-efficient standards but with the main body of the pub restored to preserve its 16th century heritage. The finished footprint of the building will be larger than the original to allow space for a new kitchen and full accessibility throughout the building including wider doors, toilets, and a lift.
