Pub owners 'choosy' about finding right buyer

Mark Sealey and Marie Smith want to ensure the pub is sold to someone who shares their ethos

The owners of a 200-year-old pub say they are keen to ensure it does not close permanently as they search for new owners.

The Sweffling White Horse, near Saxmundham in Suffolk, has been on the market for two years.

Despite having seen interest, owners Marie Smith and Mark Sealey have struggled to find the right buyer "to retain its ethos and position as a hub of the community".

The owners plan to retire after 16 years running the 19th Century pub.

"We've had lots of inquiries, but we're being quite choosy about who we sell to," Ms Smith explained.

She added the pub had been celebrated by the local community as being a "traditional" drinkers' pub which she believed was becoming a rarity.

"Traditional alehouses are an important part of British heritage, and our fear is that if we don't find someone who shares these values, we may need to lower our sights a little," she continued.

"It would be a terrible shame if the Sweffling White Horse - now a local treasure - were to be closed or ruined."

Mark and Marie bought the pub before refurbishing it

The owners bought the pub in 2008 after it had been closed for five years.

They took it through an extensive refurbishment and reopened in 2011.

The adjacent campsite, Alde Garden, is also for sale with the pub which Ms Smith hoped would not ever be sold off for development.

"We've had so much fun here in the past 16 years," Ms Smith added.

"Both businesses have been a joy to run.

"We feel like we're on holiday with people during the day, and then down the pub with a bunch of friends in the evening."