Northumberland pub, the Fishers Arms has been at the heart of the fishing village of Horncliffe, since 1760.
Surrounded by beautiful countryside Horncliffe is the most northerly village in England. It is built on the cliffs above the banks of the River Tweed and close to the border between England and Scotland
Horncliffe has a long history with evidence of Iron Age settlements and a Roman Fort. With the village having been the scene of some historic events it said to be the location where in 1546 during the unrest between the English and the Scots at the end of Henry VIIIs reign the Scottish and French crossed the River Tweed.
The English Civil War brought Royalist and Parliamentary troops to the region. There is also said to be a thatched cottage that is to have sheltered Oliver Cromwell.
The pub was built in the 1700s and has its own history as it was once owned by Stuart Brown’s family, the man who went on to be the editor of The Scotsman.
There are many local attractions nearby such as the world-famous Union Chain Bridge, which is the oldest surviving vehicular chain bridge in the world and marks the border between the two countries.
Community support saved pub
Despite the beautiful countryside and stunning location the pub’s future came under threat when it closed in 2021 and it was feared it would be transformed into residential housing.
The pub was saved from closure in July 2022 when shareholders and members of the local community purchased the pub with the aim to make it a building for the use of the local community. Famous celebrities such as Robson Green, Hairy Biker Si King, and rock group Lindisfarne helped to raise awareness of the campaign to save the pub.
The pub reopened in December 2023, with a strategy to return it to the village as a community hub.
The big need for a community café was recognised early on after the pub reopened as the area is poorly served by public transport and has few other services. The village had already lost its shop, post office, school and church, with the pub being its last amenity.
A community services fund grant supported the opening of the café which is benefitting a wide range of people living in the locally.
Connecting with others
The community café serves a range of wonderful homemade cakes, scones, coffees and teas, and offers a warm welcome for groups as well as local people looking to connect with others
The café is already the home for craft group the Horncliffe Hookers, who meet weekly. The cafe is also proving a excellent place for people to swap arts and crafts ideas. A volunteer-run book swap is also located in the café too.
The area also has a higher-than-average number of both over-65s and unpaid carers, who are also benefitting from having somewhere to meet and socialise. The café has also proved very popular with men who have come to meet other people in a relaxed environment.
The café also appeals to customers from outside the village such as tourists, cyclists, walkers as well as visitors from the local campsite and holiday lets.
There are plans to start work on a new embroidery project at The Fishers winter coffee meetings. When the embroidery project is completed the hanging will be displayed in the village hall along with its communally made rag rug hanging of The Union Chain Bridge.
Moira Kay, member of the pubs’ committee, said: “The community has really rallied round to support the opening of the pub and the café. The café is providing an important space where people can get together for a chat or take part in an activity, which helps to connect them with others and can help people who might feel isolated or lonely.”
Nigel Williams, regional advisor for Pub is The Hub, said: “This is a pub that is at the heart of its local area. This brilliant community café has proved to be a lifeline for those living in this isolated rural area that has already lost so much of its local services.”