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Cambridge & District CAMRA

The Kings (The Dyke's End), Reach

A Free House which has featured regularly in the Good Beer Guide.

This pub, the last local amenity, was under threat: the owner wanted to sell it as a house.

"Reach for a Pub"


The locals fought hard to keep it as a pub: they knew that with the right landlord it's a viable business. They got in touch with the campaigners of Abington Pigotts - the village which successfully saved its pub in 1997 by buying it.

The first campaign meeting was on 20th January 1998: the packed public meeting agreed to set up a company to save the pub: Reach For A Pint Ltd.

The owner, William Lester, took the pub off the market for about 6 months and by late summer 1998 he'd dropped his asking price by £20,000. His application for change-of-use planning permission was refused by East Cambs. Planning Committee in March 1999.

The locals put in a bid of £130,000 for the pub (with £30,000 left over for restocking & refurbishing) and this was successful in mid-1999.

In Summer 1999 it was renovated and it reopened under the former name of The Dyke's End on 16th October.

Further information

Cambridge & District CAMRA