Milton Keynes village builds its own café and bar 17 years after its last pub closes.
A village in north Milton Keynes is celebrating as they eagerly await the opening of a brand-new community café and bar after a 17-year wait since its much-loved village pub closed.
The Grade II-listed Carrington Arms in Castlethorpe shut in 2008 and despite a campaign by villagers and promises from the owner that he would reopen it, he finally announced in 2022 that he was putting the pub up for sale. But, because of the deteriorating condition of the building, it was much too expensive for Castlethorpe Parish Council to even consider and is currently still on the market. So, the village decided to build its own community facility, The Pavilion Café and Bar, at the village Sports Ground instead.
The money for the construction of The Pavilion building has come from S106 “planning gain” money and the Parish Council’s own reserves and the furnishing, equipping and fitting out has been funded by grants from Milton Keynes Community Foundation, the National Lottery Community Fund and many local residents and businesses through a Crowdfunding campaign.
The Pavilion is leased by a community interest company called Castlethorpe Community Space, which has let it to Castlethorpe resident Clare Vachell, who has a wealth of experience in catering and already runs a thriving café at the nearby Lodge Farm Business Centre. The Pavilion will operate as a café during the day and a bar and restaurant in the evening. Clare will be opening for business on Saturday 1st March and there will be an official opening by Milton Keynes North MP Chris Curtis on Saturday 22nd March, with live music by local musicians. The Fabulous Miss Jones.
