Pub saved by villagers earns Good Beer Guide spot

A pub which reopened a year ago following a huge campaign by villagers has earned a place in the 2027 Good Beer Guide.

The King's Head in Chitterne on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, closed in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, but was revived in 2025 after residents clubbed together to raise £400,000 to buy it.

The Grade II-listed pub is now set to appear in next year's edition of the prestigious guidebook, which organisers say is a rare feat for a venue that has been open for only 15 months.

Co-landlord Nick White said he was thrilled the pub has been praised for its wide range of real ale, adding that they have strict regime in their cellar to keep the beer fresh and alive.

White said the pub had benefitted from being a free house, which allows the landlord to pick from a large selection of beers and ales.

"Luckily, I can go out and negotiate prices with breweries and food suppliers so we get a better deal [as opposed to being tied].

"We've got so many breweries locally so we can change it up. At the moment we've got a juicy IPA from Rude Giant on and we've put in an order with Frome Brewery to get some of their beer in. Next week, it could be Stonehenge," White added.

Keith Foster, Good Beer Guide co-ordinator for Salisbury and South Wilts Camra, said The King's Head was a "tremendous example of a community reviving a lost village pub".

"Entry into the Good Beer Guide just 15 months after reopening is a well-deserved reflection of the commitment and dedication of the new licensees in establishing a thriving local pub serving well kept, quality real ales," he added.

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.