Residents buy West Sussex village pub after saving it from developers two years ago
Residents of a West Sussex village have bought their local pub, after raising £750,000 to save it from being sold off.
The Sportsman in Amberley has been an ale house since 1850 and its spectacular view over the Amberley Wildbrooks nature reserve draws visitors from far and wide.
When the previous owner closed the pub and put the building up for sale in January 2024, villagers feared it would be bought by a developer. Determined to save the pub, they set up a community benefit society, took on the tenancy in April 2024 to keep it open and started the challenging process of raising the purchase price.
Roger Agate, chairman of Community Sportsman Amberley Limited, said: “We all love the warm and welcoming atmosphere of The Sportsman and were determined to save it for the future. We were overwhelmed by the response from local residents and the feeling of the whole community pulling together has been truly inspiring.
“We’ve been running the pub as tenants during the fund-raising campaign and have built a reputation for the warmth of our welcome, the quality and range of our real ales and our delicious food.”
Over the past two-and-a-half years, the society has raised £340,000 by selling shares to locals and supporters from further afield. The rest of the money came in loans from residents and the purchase was completed on Friday, August 14.
The Sportsman, in Rackham Road, hosted a party with free burgers the following weekend, on Saturday, August 22, to celebrate it becoming community owned.
Roger said: “Now, when locals come in for a pint and a bite to eat, they can say with pride that this truly is their pub.”
In March, The Sportsman was crowned CAMRA’s branch pub of the year 2026 in recognition of the commitment to cask ales.
Going forward, the society will pour only Sussex-brewed beer from independent, family-run breweries but before then, The Sportsman will be hosting a beer festivals from October 1 to 4, showcasing a range of beers from across the UK.
Amberley real ale buff Matija Rossi, who masterminded the policy, said: “From the beer festival onwards, every tap at our bar will pour beer made here in Sussex. The benefits are many - supporting local jobs, shorter journeys to the glass and money staying in the community.
“We’ve got to know the local brewers and seen how much they care. Their beer is brewed with passion and proper ingredients, not to a price and recipe set by a corporate accountant.
“On top of all that, our local beer is part of a fascinating and evolving centuries-long brewing tradition with a character that is unique to the area and admired across the world. We shouldn’t take it for granted!”