Former Top Gear presenter buys "half" of Wiltshire pub
The pub is still currently closed due to the pandemic.
Last updated 21st Sep 2020
Former Top Gear presenter, James May, has bought a stake in the Royal Oak pub in Swallowcliffe.
Mr May lives near to the village and announced the news on his Twitter page:
The Royal Oak has yet to reopen after lockdown, despite being given the go ahead in July by the government.
On the 3rd of July, the pub's owners said:
"Whilst the Government have decided to relax some of their restrictions from 4th July and allow the opening of pubs, we have decided to remain closed for the foreseeable future.
Details of our reopening will be published on our website in due course.
Apologies to give you what we know will be disappointing news and we are very much looking forward to welcoming you back once we have reopened."
The pub closed in late 2007 and a planning application was submitted to turn the building into housing.
It was fought off by people living in the village and the planning permission for change of use the building was refused.
A local consortium then purchased the building from the bank in 2012.
They then restored it, before it reopened on the 5th September 2015, with the TV presenter becoming the latest local shareholder involved.