Villagers celebrated a 'fantastic day in the history of Shouldham' after reopening their last remaining pub following a spirited campaign to save it from permanent closure.
When the Kings Arms shut suddenly and unexpectedly two years ago, residents thought the venue where many neighbours had met and formed lifelong friendships could be gone forever.
But, following an EDP-backed campaign to raise £300,000 to buy the venue and reopen it for the good of the community, the pub is back in business – to the delight of punters.
Phil Harriss, secretary of the Save Our Kings Arms (SOKA) campaign, said it felt like there was a great sense of history to the occasion.
'We weren't just doing it for ourselves,' said Mr Harriss. 'There were people on the committee whose families had lived here for generations. We were also doing it for future generations. We wanted to stand up and fight for Shouldham.'
Remembering the first public meeting on a cold January evening in 2013 about the ambitious proposal to buy the pub, Mr Harriss said: 'We had no idea how many people would turn up.
'However, there was a kind of grim determination. I couldn't have lived with myself if we'd let it go. We just had to try something – even if it failed, at least we tried.'
He added that the campaign had brought residents of Shouldham together. 'The village is even closer than it was before,' he said.
SOKA chairman John McGourty said: 'Today is a fantastic day in the history of Shouldham. I think initially we thought we wouldn't achieve it.
'Then there was a sudden realisation that it seemed highly likely there would be an awful lot of hard work. It just goes to show what a community can do when they put their minds to it.'
Landlord Ian Skinner said: 'There's a genuine buzz and excitement about the place. There has been a fantastic spirit and everyone has been really helpful and pulled together.
'A lot of people have worked tremendously hard to get to this position where we are now.'
He added that he was 'immensely proud' to be behind the bar of the pub and said: 'Hopefully I can do the village proud.'
Is your village pub under threat? Tell us all about it by emailing andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk
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