The White Swan: a thriving community pub

The story of The White Swan in Gressenhall is very similar to the story here in Ryburgh. When their pub closed, the locals chose to fight for it and secured ACV status to provide protection from proposed redevelopment.

It was a challenging process, but four years on, The White Swan stands as proof that community ownership can work brilliantly. We had a chat with Steve, Alan and Alex – all part of the team that made it happen – to find out what the process of reviving the pub had been like and how it had worked out.

From closure to community ownership

The White Swan's journey to community ownership began with a £268,000 fundraising target. The village raised this through a combination of share offers, grants, and a loan—initially restricting share sales to local postcodes before opening it up more widely to reach their goal.

"We achieved it in six weeks," recalls one of the founding committee members. "Alongside what we raised from the community, we had some funds from Plunkett, and a few bits of grant funding, plus a £50k low-rate loan, which we've now paid off completely within 3.5 years."

The fundraising was just the beginning. The real work started when they got the keys in January 2021.

The refurbishment: all hands to the pumps

For sixteen months, volunteers transformed the pub from top to bottom. Working primarily on Wednesdays and Saturdays to accommodate those with day jobs, teams of local volunteers tackled everything from stripping ten layers of wallpaper upstairs to replacing a rotten flat roof.

"We were very fortunate to have a farmer on board with tractors and trailers, and a professional builder who advised us on what we could and couldn't do," they explained. "But mostly it was just local people mucking in—people who'd never worked on a building site before, learning as they went."

The support extended beyond labour. One neighbour became famous for appearing at 11 o'clock every work day with cups of coffee and masses of sausage rolls for the volunteers.

By May 2022, The White Swan was ready to open its doors.

A new model: community ownership with professional management

The White Swan's success lies in its hybrid model. Rather than relying solely on volunteers to run the day-to-day operations, the community made a crucial decision: they brought in Snug Hospitality, a professional management company, to handle the business.

"That was a magnificent move," admits one committee member who initially had reservations. "I spent hours refurbishing this place and was initially upset when I heard it might be professionally managed. But then I sat down and realised - ‘what do I know about health and safety, allergies, or employment law?’ You can't run a pub on goodwill alone."

Under this model, Snug handles everything—staffing, kitchen operations, ordering, and licensing – while paying rent and a percentage return to the community. The pub manager and team run the business, while the community committee handles building maintenance and ensures the pub serves its village.

"We only get involved when they need something fixed or maintained," explains a committee member. "Otherwise, they get on with it, and it works brilliantly."

More than just a pub

Four years on, The White Swan has become the beating heart of Gressenhall once again. Open seven days a week (except Mondays in January and February), its revenue is split 50-50 between drink sales and food—well above the typical 25% food ratio for rural pubs. And food is more profitable than drink.

It’s worth noting that the kitchen there is pretty small - but their record is 166 covers in a single day (Mothers Day) which shows what you can do with the right team in place.

But the numbers tell only part of the story. The pub has become a genuine destination, drawing visitors from well beyond the village while remaining a treasured local asset.

"Come here on a Friday night at half past five and it's full of locals having a beer," one regular explains. "By seven o'clock, they've all gone home for their tea and it's full of people you've never seen before. You have to live with that – because those visitors on busy nights pay for the quiet Tuesday evenings when there's half a dozen people in."

The pub has also become a community hub in new ways. Thursday morning coffee sessions, subsidised by the pub and local community, draw 40-50 people. Tuesday knitting groups meet regularly. The upstairs flat provides useful extra income through a long-term tenant. It all feels like it has been well thought out and is benefitting from all the hard work that the community team put in.

It’s also good to know that there is a social club in the village that still runs successfully – a reassuring fact when we’re thinking about The Blue Boar and the village hall.

Better than ever?

Some practical changes helped make the pub work. For example, there’s very little parking there – but some expanded parking onto the village green has helped, though the green's trust status made permissions complicated.

But mostly, it's about the warmth, the welcome, and the food.

"It's never been in as good a state as it is now," says one long-time resident. "There were maybe four years under a previous owner when it was half decent, but it has never been thriving like this. It's genuinely become a destination pub again."

Lessons for other communities

For villages considering a similar path, The White Swan’s experience offers clear lessons:

Get professional management from day one. The temptation to save costs through volunteer labour is strong, but pubs need professional operations to thrive.

Plan before you open. Know exactly how the pub will operate before that first pint is pulled.

Build a strong volunteer team for refurbishment, but don't expect them to run the business long-term.

Open it up. Don't restrict share sales too narrowly—you'll need (and can get) support beyond your immediate postcode.

Accept that it serves two communities: locals who make it a village hub, and visitors who make it financially viable.

Search out every grant: having people who can really dedicate time to finding and applying for even small amounts of extra funding will really help.

Looking Forward

Four years on, The White Swan isn't just surviving – it's thriving. Snug are keen to renew their lease, a testament to the pub's success. The community owns a valuable asset, restored and maintained. And Gressenhall has its heart back.

"I'm not sure we'd do it exactly the same way again" reflects one committee member. "But would I recommend it to another village? Absolutely. Just make sure you've got the right management structure in place from the start."

Their views on Ryburgh

Ryburgh has always had something special pub-wise. "When I was growing up, Ryburgh was a destination pub," remembers one local. "People would say 'Let's go to Ryburgh' and travel decent distances to go there. It can definitely get that back.

For communities facing the loss of their local pub, The White Swan proves it can be done – and done brilliantly. The best advice? Go. It’s a lovely place to spend the evening with good food, a great selections of drinks, and above all a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

The White Swan team can be rightly proud of what they’ve achieved.