A 300-year-old village pub that’s been sitting empty could finally be pulling pints again… but not without a proper bit of drama first.
After months of arguments, objections, and even a £750,000 community bid to buy it, plans to revive The Hunworth Bell — better known locally as the “Hunny Bell” — have now been approved.
And yes… it’s coming back with a twist.
A Pub Revival… With Bedrooms Upstairs
The pub, near Holt, has been shut since May 2024, leaving locals without their usual meeting spot. Now, owners the Stody Estate say they’ve got a plan to bring it back to life — by adding guest rooms and building a small number of homes nearby.
The idea is simple: make the pub financially viable so it doesn’t just reopen… but actually survives.
Because let’s be honest — plenty of pubs reopen, only to shut again a year later.
The Bit That Kicked Off
Originally, the plan didn’t go down well at all.
Locals were fuming when early proposals included building houses on part of the pub’s car park — something many said would kill the pub before it even reopened. Parking, especially in countryside pubs, isn’t just handy… it’s essential.
Dozens of objections were lodged, and things got heated.
The village even raised £750,000 in a bid to buy the pub themselves — but the offer was turned down.
Plans Tweaked… And Finally Approved
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After the backlash, the plans were scaled back.
Instead of building on the car park, the new homes (now reduced to six, including affordable housing) will go on nearby land — keeping the pub’s parking intact.
Even the local parish council, who originally opposed the plans, changed their stance and backed the revised version.
Planning permission has now officially been granted by North Norfolk District Council.
“We Had to Fix It”
The estate says the changes are about long-term survival, not just reopening for the sake of it.
They’ve admitted the pub wasn’t working in its previous form — and that without changes, it would likely fail again.
Adding guest rooms is seen as the key to making it stack up financially, especially in a rural location.
And interestingly, the new houses will be the first built in the village in over 40 years.
The Bigger Question…
Here’s where it gets interesting.
The pub is protected as an Asset of Community Value, meaning it has to remain a pub in some form. But this story raises a bigger question:
👉 Is this what saving pubs looks like now?
Adding rooms, diversifying income, building around them… rather than just relying on pints at the bar.
Because if that’s what it takes to keep places like the Hunny Bell alive — would you accept it?
Final Thought
After two years shut and a full-on village battle, the Hunny Bell looks set to return.
But it won’t be quite the same as before.
Then again… if the choice is change or closure, most would probably take a slightly different pub over no pub at all.
Would you be happy with this kind of pub “upgrade” — or should pubs stay exactly as they are? Tag a mate and see what they reckon.
