Villagers celebrate as under threat pub set to reopen

A village pub that had been threatened with demolition is to reopen after a buyer was found.

The Plough in Shepreth has been shut since December 2010, after the previous owners October Restaurants went into liquidation.

Now it has been brought by Jo and Nick Davies and Rachel and Robin Gomm who will run it as a pub and restaurant.

A group of villagers operating under the name Shepreth Ploughshare have been investigating the possibility of reopening the pub as a community-run initiative.

Last year they successfully fought off a developer, who was seeking planning permission to turn the Plough into a residential dwelling by applying for change of use.

This was refused by South Cambs District Council, and though the developer appealed the decision, it was upheld after strong protests from Shepreth residents.

David Elliott, strategist for Shepreth Ploughshare, said: “The new owners are all local to the area and we really want the new venture to be a success.”