Devon man remortgages his home to save century-old village pub
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A long-time local stepped in to save his favorite British pub from closure, remortgaging his home to keep the community gathering place alive.
Peter Manfield, 73, from Devon, England, took out a home loan to buy The Dog and Donkey, a village pub with more than a century of history, SWNS news agency reported.
The pub in Knowle, Budleigh Salterton, was built during World War II. It has served as a central meeting place for generations, including during World War II, and has hosted numerous hosts over the years.
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Manfield said the decision to buy the bar was not taken lightly, but he felt compelled to act.
Manfield, pictured in The Dog and Donkey, re-mortgaged his home to save the century-old Devon pub from closure. (SWNS)
“Losing his heart would be catastrophic,” he told SWNS. “There is nothing in the village but the village hall.”
Public records show the bar sold for about $368,000 in 2023, the news agency said.
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Manfield, a music teacher and musician, said he did not have the money to buy the property outright, so he chose to remortgage his home and invest in restoring it.
“It’s just a beautiful old building,” he said. “It was unacceptable to let him go without a fight.”
Bar (pictured), II. It has long been a gathering place for the community, including during World War II. (SWNS)
The pub has many original elements such as tiled floors, a fireplace and a large bar.
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“We lose all this, but for what?” he said.
Manfield said he sees himself as the caretaker of the historic property, not the owner.
“I’m just keeping it to make sure it stays alive,” he said.
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He partnered with Mark Loftin, who took over as landlord in February 2024 despite having no previous experience running a bar.
“This was an incredible opportunity,” Loftin said. “Our values and belief systems are fundamentally compatible, and that’s what matters.”
Manfield partnered with the bar’s landlord, Loftin, pictured at right, and said they shared the goal of keeping the bar traditional. (SWNS)
The bar continues to serve as a meeting place for locals, hosting meetings, social events and community groups.
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Manfield said the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Locals took to social media to thank him for preserving a place that many consider the heart of the community.
“We were very lucky,” he said.
