Brewery sells thriving village pub near Northampton to new owner who has 'just got it right' since taking over

The owner of a thriving village pub near Northampton is celebrating after buying the site outright off the brewery.

The White Hart, in Flore, was previously owned by Stonegate Group but has recently been bought by its owner, who has been managing the pub since November 2022.

A Stonegate Group spokeswoman said: "The White Harte in Flore has been sold to a private owner following an offer to purchase the freehold.”

Speaking to Chron and Echo, the manager of the pub, Kate Cherry, said: “We’re excited. We’re feeling really good.

"Buying the pub as a freehold means we can get away from the prices charged by the brewery. We’ve got it freehold and it’s our choice now. We can go where we want for our supplies and do what we like now. It’s ours now.”

The pub closed down in May 2022 before the new owner reopened it in November 2022.

Kate said: “This is the only pub in Flore. It was so important get it back open. Everybody needs a village pub, it brings everybody together. It’s definitely needed in the village.

"We’re doing really well. We’ve got the village back in. We’re doing Indian food now and it’s really taken off. I think the new owner’s just got it right with the food, music nights. It just seems to have really picked up well.

"I was going to retire from pubs but I’ve come back because of the owner. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and I decided in lockdown that that was it but it’s good to be back.”

The management team is set to celebrate its one-year anniversary in charge of the pub with a Bollywood-themed event on November 11.

Kate said: “It’s flown by the last year. It’s gone very well and very quick. We’re celebrating with a Bollywood themed night on November 11. We did one last year and it went down really well.”

Asked for the secret to running a successful pub, Kate said: “Good customers; get the beer right, at the right prices.”

Currently, The White Hart operates from Tuesday to Sunday, starting at 4 pm, with plans to expand to include lunch hours.

The pub offers a menu with a variety of options, including burgers, fish and chips, and a selection of Indian dishes.