UPDATE
To all who have supported our fight to save The Honest Miller - THANK YOU!
​
To CAMRA, Plunkett Foundation, Levelling up Scheme, @protectpubs, The Farriers Arms and the many more business owners and publicans we spoke to - THANK YOU!
​
As you know, Churchill Property purchased our only village pub during lockdown and later sought planning permission to develop housing on the surrounding land. When this eventually failed, due to the vigilance and opposition by those who live in the village and close by, they put the pub up for sale.
​
The members of The Save the Honest Miller Group, worked tirelessly to buy the pub on behalf of the community, eventually securing £262,000 from The Levelling Up Fund. This was to be match funded by pledges from the community to achieve the required purchase and refurbishment costs and to gain the grant. This was successful, exceeding all our expectations, enabling the group to commission a survey, a valuation and make a sizable offer to Churchills for the pub and its land on behalf of the community.
Knowing our little village was not enough to maintain the business, our vision was to create a thriving destination pub, renowned for its food, kitchen garden, incredible pub garden and views as well as glamping. A wider message on local, seasonal food and a thriving community hub and CIC we felt was required to draw people into our village from the surrounding area and help the pub to thrive.
Despite our best efforts, Churchill Property declined our offer, instead opting to split up the ACV, finding a buyer for the pub and coach house whilst retaining the land for themselves—no doubt to pursue developments again in the future.
​
Whilst deeply frustrated that we could not secure The Honest Miller for the community and keep the ACV intact and the land together with the pub, we thank the new owners for working hard to restore it to its former glory and we wish them well with the project. Having studied various business models over the course of the last three years, we do understand the challenges rural pubs face and the hard work required to draw folks in from further afield.
​
Our fight is not over—we will oppose any change of use or development on the land. The village has spoken: The Honest Miller matters. Pubs are the heart of communities, places where people meet unexpectedly, connect, and belong.
Public House Offences.
Thomas Rains, landlord of the "Honest Miller," Brook, was fined £2 10s. for selling beer before half-past twelve o’clock on Sunday morning, Jan. 1st. The offence was proved by P.C. Edward Butcher.
Kentish Gazette, Tuesday 7 February 1865
​
The story of The Honest Miller pub is a simple one.
A beloved village pub for over 200 years.
A trading place for wheat, beer and stories.
Until it was sold to a developer.
Its future now hangs in the balance.
Luckily the local community have all the passion needed to save this beautiful pub.
