Village residents buy The Larkins historic pub

Residents in a Kent village are in the process of purchasing a historic pub which featured in a peak-time TV drama.

The Swan on the Green in West Peckham, which dates from 1685, is familiar to millions of viewers from the ITV show The Larkins.

With the landlord selling up and fears it could make way for housing, villagers raised £500,000 by selling stakes in the business.

The initiative pulled in more than 400 shareholders from as far afield as Australia and North America.

Ray King, community pub group chairperson, said: "We actually decided after a few beers that we are going to do something about it.

"We asked the community whether they would be interested and they said 'yes'."

The Swan Community Project was launched in July 2023.

Mr King said he hoped the pub would be in community hands by the spring.

All the new part-owners will decide how the venue is run.

The pub featured as The Hare and Hounds in the Kent-based drama The Larkins.

Its finances have been topped up with a community grant from the government worth £300,000, which was awarded in December.

That money will be partly used for refurbishments and improvements to try to ensure The Swan stays open and in public ownership for generations to come.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.