Lottery grant helps save Nympsfield’s beloved village pub

Nympsfield Community Pub Limited has been awarded £208,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to rescue and restore the Grade II listed Rose and Crown, and turn it into a community-run hub.

The money will fund urgent repairs and support long-term plans to reopen it as a community-owned venue at the heart of village life.

The grant will pay for a full roof replacement, structural timber repairs and work to restore the pub’s unusual spring-fed cellar cooling system.

It will also fund improvements to accessibility, so more people can use the building once it reopens.

Alongside the physical repairs, the project will create a permanent heritage display and a digital archive telling the story of the pub and its role in village life over the centuries.

The Rose and Crown is being brought back into use by Nympsfield Community Pub Limited, a community benefit society backed by 428 local shareholders.

Chair Matthew Burke said: “This is a landmark moment for our village.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, we can now save the Rose and Crown Inn and bring it back as a thriving, welcoming community hub.

“Our 428 shareholders, our supporters and the many local suppliers who have backed us from the start have shown extraordinary commitment, and this grant ensures their efforts will result in a restored, resilient pub at the heart of Nympsfield once again.” 

Stuart McLeod, director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “The Rose and Crown’s story is inspiring – a pub shaped and saved by the very community it has served for over 300 years.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this Grade II listed building will be restored, made more accessible, and its rich history brought to life for future generations.” 

The project will now move into the delivery phase, working with specialist contractors, volunteers and Gloucestershire Archives to complete the restoration and develop the heritage elements of the scheme.

The Rose and Crown, which closed in 2023, was purchased by Nympsfield Community Pub Ltd (NCPL) in January for £350,000.