About The George

After years standing empty on our High Street, The George is thriving again – and we couldn’t be happier! Read our story below and find out more about our vision, our community and the fantastic people and organisations that helped us make The George what it is today.

Our Story

The George was originally built in the late eighteenth century as a large inn. It has been many things over the years, including a pub, hotel, and family home.

Under Camphill ownership The George was a popular meeting spot with a café, shop and weavery (above) where adults with special needs worked alongside local people.

Our efforts to save The George began in early 2018, when the previous owners, Camphill Village Trust (CVT), announced plans to close the café and sell the building. With shops, pubs and several other local businesses under threat, the loss of The George left a big gap on the High Street and felt like a serious wake-up call for the village.

A small group of us decided to act. We formed a pressure group (‘ReNewnham’), held public meetings, canvassed local views and successfully persuaded the district council to prevent The George from being sold to a developer by listing it as a ‘community asset’. Soon after that we formed a Community Benefit Society and launched a campaign to buy the property and turn it into a mixed-use village hub.

Local support

Many local people supported us by buying community shares, making donations and pledging practical help. We also raised money by putting on events and applying for grants.

In late 2021 we applied for a match-funding grant from the government Community Ownership Fund (COF). In October the following year, the money came through and we were able to buy the building. Thanks to a fantastic effort by volunteers and local builders, we finally opened our doors to the public in March 2023.

Local band The Sad Dads play a fundraising gig for The George

Our Vision

Our vision is to make The George a welcoming, family-friendly place where everybody can feel at home and enjoy shared activities. Although we have to cover our costs, we’re not out to make a profit. Many of our events and activities are free, and our regular talks and community lunches are ‘Pay As You Feel’  – there’s no fixed price, so they’re open to everyone to enjoy.

Our Volunteers

None of what we do would be possible without our volunteers. Volunteers not only keep the business running, but they also help us achieve our wider goal of building a self-reliant, resilient community that can survive challenges like Covid and climate change. It’s all about collective effort – and finding out what amazing things we can do when we work together!