Community-owned village pub to reopen four years after being closed

Simon and Tania Henson, the first tenants at the community-owned Black Horse pub at Grimston which reopens this week

The Black Horse, at Grimston, closed in January 2020 after the previous owners said it was no longer viable after being a local amenity since the 1700s.

Residents, including those at neighbouring Saxelbye and Shoby, were determined to get it open again, though, and they joined forces under The Black Horse Community Group (BHCG).

They got the pub registered as an Asset of Community Value, objected to two planning applications to convert part of the pub into residential use and then completed a community purchase in May last year after helping raise nearly half-a-million pounds.

Simon and Tania Henson, tenants at The Black Horse pub at Grimston

And on Thursday, tenants Simon and Tania Henson, will proudly reopen the Main Street pub in a soft opening just for shareholders and other local people, ahead of the full reopening to the public on Saturday at noon.

it will be special moment for chair, Mike Petty, and his fellow colleagues on the BHCG.

Mike said: “It is thanks to all the BHCG shareholders, over 60 wonderful volunteers aged between six and 82 and our fantastic suppliers, who in many cases have completed work for free or at mates’ rates, that this refurbishment has been achieved.”

Simon and Tania, who have been married for two years and together for 15, previously spent three years running The Crown at West Haddon, Northamptonshire.

The Black Horse pub at Grimston which reopens this week under community ownership

Tania, a former teacher, told the Melton Times: “There are a lot of local shareholders in the pub so it is great to have that kind of support from the start. We are excited about the opening this week.”

The couple plan to operate with just wet sales to start with but they have secured a chef and hope to start serving food in March.

Simon told us: “There has been a lot of interest in the reopening and we can’t wait to pull the first pint.

“A lot of work and passion has gone into getting the pub into where it is now.

“And there has been a lot of messages asking when we are opening.”

The Hensons, who have four children between them, are planning to get the outdoor petanque court up and running again and the darts team is also looking to reform.

A full refurbishment programme has taken place inside the building over the last year and work is ongoing to upgrade the gardens and yard area.

It will be open six days a week, and closed on Mondays.

The plan is to keep four ales on draught. including some local brews.

Simon said he fell in love with the place when he visited it on his own after responding to an advert for the tenancy.

“When I came to see it there was scaffolding and sheets up for the renovation work,” he recalled.

“I liked it immediately when I walked through the door, though, and Tania did as well when she first saw it.”

Nearly £250,000 was raised by the community buying shares with further funding coming from More than a Pub, the Plunkett Foundation, a Melton Borough Council community grant and UK government funding from the Community Ownership Fund.