After the closure of The Unicorn Inn in 2024, the tight-knit community of Bayford, Somerset, refused to let their favorite gathering spot disappear. Last November, thanks to the dedication and generosity of local villagers, the pub was reborn as The Bayford Inn.
Sam Lane, a businesswoman and Bayford native, recalls the community’s heartbreak at the news of the pub’s closure. “We all thought, ‘That’s the last business in Bayford. This is going to be really sad,'” she shared. Determined to save it, Sam and a core group of villagers—known as the interim committee—organized a campaign to raise funds to purchase the pub at auction. Remarkably, around £300,000 was pledged by the village’s roughly 60 households.
In a nerve-wracking auction, Sam secured the pub for a winning bid of £200,000, a significant drop from its 2007 sale price of £399,000. Yet, the journey was far from over. Upon inspection, the group discovered the building needed extensive renovation. Walk-throughs revealed eight-month-old food still lingering in the fridge, a sobering moment that made Sam wonder, “What have we done here?”
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Rallying once more, villagers volunteered their time and labor to restore the pub to its former glory at no cost. Their efforts culminated in a grand reopening in November under the new name, The Bayford Inn, which immediately demonstrated promising trade—with £1,000 in takings over the opening weekend alone.
Although the kitchen remains closed, pop-up food nights have kept patrons coming back. The community’s enthusiasm brings fresh hope amidst a challenging period for pubs nationwide; the British Beer and Pub Association notes that six pubs close every week due to rising costs and rates.
Looking ahead, Sam aims to repay the £200,000 purchase price and then sell the pub back to its shareholders as a true community-owned establishment. At present, The Bayford Inn boasts 90 shareholders, including locals and international supporters—10 of whom live overseas and are eager to visit their slice of Bayford. “It’s attracting an international market they weren’t expecting!” Sam remarked.
The Bayford Inn welcomes visitors Wednesday through Sunday, with opening hours from 4 pm to 11 pm on weekdays, noon to 11 pm on Saturdays, and noon to 6 pm on Sundays. Interested individuals can still become shareholders via the pub’s website.
Thanks to the unwavering community spirit, The Bayford Inn stands as a beacon of resilience and local pride.