Devon man remortgages his home to save century-old village pub

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A longtime local stepped in to save his favorite English pub from shutting down, remortgaging his home to keep the community gathering spot alive.

Peter Manfield, 73, of Devon, England, took out a loan against his house to buy The Dog and Donkey, a village pub with more than a century of history, news agency SWNS reported.

Located in Knowle, Budleigh Salterton, the pub has served as a central meeting place for generations, including during World War II, and has seen a range of landlords over the years.

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Manfield said the decision to buy the pub was not taken lightly, but he felt compelled to act.

“To lose its heart would’ve been catastrophic,” he told SWNS. “There’s nothing else in the village apart from the village hall.”

Public records show the pub sold in 2023 for about $368,000, the news agency noted.

Manfield, a music teacher and musician, said he did not have the funds to purchase the property outright, so he chose to remortgage his home and invest in restoring it.

“It’s just a lovely old building,” he said. “It was just unacceptable to let it go without a fight.”

Pete Manfield standing inside The Dog and Donkey pub in Knowle, Devon

The pub features several original elements, including a tiled floor, fireplace and a wide bar.

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“We would lose all that, and what for?” he said.

Manfield said he does not see himself as the owner, but rather as a caretaker of the historic property.

“I am just keeping it to make sure that it survives,” 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 pub.

“This was an amazing opportunity,” Loftin said. “Our values and belief systems basically align and that’s what’s important.”

Pete Manfield and landlord Mark Loftin standing inside The Dog and Donkey pub in Knowle, Devon

The pub continues to serve as a gathering place for locals, hosting meetings, social events and community groups.

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Manfield said the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Locals have taken to social media to thank him for preserving a place many consider the heart of the community.

“We have been very lucky,” he said.

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